Abstract
Pr2O3 doped bismuth-phosphate glasses have been produced via an ordinary melt quenching tool. Glasses have a chemical content (5-x) Al2O3-15Na(2)O-20Bi(2)O(3)-60 P2O5 -xPr(2)O(3) with x values between 0 and 2 mol%. The structural and mechanical features of the prepared phosphate-based glasses were investigated. The XRD spectra confined the amorphous type of these glasses. Furthermore, the influence of Pr2O3 on the mechanical features has been explored and related to the structure. The relationship between structural variations and the contents of Pr2O3 has been investigated in terms of FTIR and by the determination of the density and the ultrasonic velocity. The density and the ultrasonic velocities were utilized to calculate the elastic moduli of the glasses. The acquired results indicate that the ultrasonic velocity and the elastic moduli increase as a function of Pr2O3 in the whole explored studied glasses. The analysis of FTIR spectra refers that Pr2O3 is interstitial settled in the phosphate network with [PrO7] associated with covalent Pr-O-P bonds, whereas Bi2O3 and Al2O3 settle on the network with [BiO6], and [AlO6] units. These experimental features coincide with a compact structure and act in a manner that Pr2O3 incorporates the glassy network with plenty of bridging oxygen atoms. These arguments encourage the use of these glasses in radiation shielding materials.