Tailoring the multi component phospho-silico-tellurite glasses for radiation attenuation applications

The present study explores the radiation shielding abilities of the multi component phospho-silico-tellurite glasses made by adopting melt-quenching mode. The glass series has a chemical composition of 30TeO₂+15P₂O₅+15SiO₂+ 20ZnF+(20−x) BaCO₃+xEu₂O₃ (where x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 in wt%). The X-ray diffraction pattern affirmed the non-crystalline phase of the glasses, whereas the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy highlights the structural modifications and functional groups in the glasses. The glasses exhibited tunable physical properties, with density increasing from 2.73 to 3.27 g/cm³ and refractive index is rising from 1.647 to 1.702 as Eu₂O₃ content increased. Elastic moduli improved significantly, with Young's modulus reaching 98.5 GPa for the 1.6 wt% Eu₂O₃-doped glass, indicating enhanced mechanical rigidity. Optical bandgap analysis revealed direct (3.210–3.341 eV) and indirect (3.127–3.282 eV) transitions, while Urbach energy (0.214–0.281 eV) confirmed reduced structural disorder with higher Eu³⁺ concentrations. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrated superior radiation shielding performance, with the linear attenuation coefficient increasing by 22.39 % (0.059 MeV) to 20.28 % (10 MeV) as Eu₂O₃ rose from 0.1 to 1.6 wt%. The half-value layer decreased from 0.074 to 0.061 cm (0.059 MeV) and 8.192 to 6.805 cm (10 MeV), respectively. Notably, the 1.6 wt% Eu₂O₃ glass achieved a radiation protection efficiency of 84.78 % at 0.122 MeV, comparable to commercial Pb-based shields.