Abstract
The glasses with the chemical formula 55 P2O5 – 5 Al2O3 - 20 Na2O - (20-x) Fe2O3- x PbO (0 ≤ x ≤ 20 mol%) as proposed shielding for gamma radiation were synthesized and explored. The investigations of the FTIR variations of the glasses are discussed in the view of the variations of the phosphate and lead structural units. These changes were determined by the evolution of the PbO on the expense of Fe2O3 concentrations. According to this analysis, non-bridging oxygens were created as the Pb2+ ions were occupied between the P–O–P layers. This process revealed the glass modifier role of PbO. The narrow beam transmission method was used utilizing different photon energies 356, 662, 1173 and 1332 keV to determine the mass attenuation coefficient (μm) of each glass sample of the studied glasses. For the investigated glasses, there is an increment in the values of the physical parameters μm, Zeff and Nel with the increment of PbO contents. This relation turns out that the studied glasses are improved shields for gamma-radiations with the increment of PbO.
•Multicomponent phosphate based glasses P2O5–Al2O3–Na2O–Fe2O3–PbO was fabricated as a proposed radiation shielding candidate.•The molar volume and FTIR had explored the structural variations of the explored glasses.•The increase of the density and the decrease of the molar volume decreased.•there is an increment in the values of the physical parameters μm, Zeff and Nel as a function of PbO contents.