Optimizing mechanical, optical, and ionizing radiation attenuation features in barium-tellurite glass systems through strategic oxide modifications: A comprehensive experimental study

Five barium tellurite glass systems modified with various oxides were fabricated by the melt quench technique. The optical features of glass were determined according to the spectrum of the absorption edge. The band gap energies ranging from 2.972 eV for BT:Zn to 3.001 eV for BT:Pb. The mechanical features were computed hypothetically based on the Makishima–Mackenzie method. The radiation shielding properties were determined experimentally using two gamma-ray sources, Ho-166 and Cs-137, within five energies: 810, 710, 662, 280, and 184 keV. BT:Pb sample showed the highest mass attenuation coefficient MAC of 0.397 cm²/g at 0.184 MeV and the lowest tenth-value layer (TVL) of 4.90375 cm at 0.184 MeV. The experimental validation was checked using XCOM data, and the relative difference (RD) between practical and theoretical data was calculated. The mechanical features of glasses showed the superiority of glass samples containing ZrO₂ (BT:Zr) on other glasses. Meanwhile, the PbO (BT:Pb) sample showed the highest band gap results. Based on gamma-ray shielding results, the BT:Pb showed the highest radiation-protecting properties, followed by a sample containing CdO (BT:Cd). Finally, it can be deduced that the capability to apply the current samples in the radiation shielding area.