Abstract
Six compositions of 1 mol % Dy3+ -doped multicomponent borate glasses containing single Li2O, Na2O, K2O and mixed Li2O-Na2O, Li2O-K2O, and Na2O-K2O oxides have been synthesized by wellknown melt-quenching technique. Following the measured density and refractive index values, various physical parameters were estimated for all the glass samples and differences in them are correlated with structural changes. To explore optical properties like absorption edge (lambda(cut-off)), optical band gap energy (E-opt), and Urbach energy (Delta E), optical absorption spectra were recorded for all the glasses. The E-g has been calculated using Davis and Mott theory for direct allowed, and indirect allowed transitions and the results were reported. The E-g values are also estimated using absorption spectrum fitting (ASF) method. The optical parameters variations have also been associated with the structural changes occurring in the glasses with different alkali/mixed alkali oxides content presence. The shielding properties of the prepared glasses were studied in terms of effective atomic numbers (Z(eff)), mean free path (MFP), half value layer (HVL) and macroscopic effective removal cross-section (Sigma(R)). From these results, it was found that Potassium (K) glass shows superior gamma ray shielding properties due to a higher value of Z(eff) and lower values of both MFP and HVL. These results indicate that the prepared glasses might be utilized in place of some common shielding materials to shield gamma-rays and neutrons.