Abstract
A group of newly zinc bismo-borate glasses doped with various rare earth (RE) oxides with composition 20ZnO-20Bi2O3-(60-xRE)B2O3: xRE = 0, 0.5La2O3, 0.5CeO2, 0.5Nd2O3, and 0.5Gd2O3 mol% named as GB, GL, GC, GN, and GG, respectively have been prepared via conventional melt technique. The influence of (RE) ions on the structural, physical characteristics, neutron, and gamma radiation competences glasses have been investigated. Glass density was increased progressively (4.1131-4.3157 g/cc) with the reduce in molar volume (36.77-35.38 cc/ mol) for GB-GG glasses. The oxygen packing density (OPD) was increased from 70.7 to 73.4 (g atm/l). Mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) was found that 71.657, 71.668, 71.744, 71.779, and 71.931 cm2/g for GB, GL, GC, GN, and GG. The half value layer (HVL) has the trend of (GG) HVL < (GN) HVL < (GC) HVL < (GL) HVL < (GB) HVL. Generally, the GG glass sample (doped with Gd2O3) was achieved the least HVL which assured that it has the best shielding ability among all prepared glasses.