Physical properties and radiation shielding parameters of bismuth borate glasses doped transition metals

Abstract Bismuth borate glasses doped 0.7% of one of the following transition metals Cu, Co, Ni was prepared using traditional melt quenching technique. Some physical characters of the prepared glass such as UV transmission and electrical conductivity were measured. The results showed that seven peaks were found at 255, 270, 311, 330, 355, 390 and 409 nm. The transmission% decreased by subjecting glass samples to gamma irradiation (2.5 and 5 kGy) then no further change can be observed with the increase of the irradiation dose up to 50 kGy. Results also showed that both band gap and electronegativity decreased by the addition of transition metals. Effects of different doped transition metals and gamma irradiation doses on the electrical conductivity of bismuth borate glasses were examined. However, refractive index, electron and molar polarizability increased with the presence of transition metals. Furthermore, mass attenuation coefficient, effective atomic number, half value layer and radiation protection efficiency were calculated. Comparing experimentally shielding parameters with those calculated using XCOM program showing good compatibility. The results showed that glass containing Cu has the best shielding results for photon energy range (1–10 MeV).