Effect of zirconium oxide nanoparticles on thermal, optical, and radiation shielding properties of BiO-BO-MnO glasses.

This study has explored the DSC, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, gamma ray and neutron shielding properties of BiO-BO-MnO: ZrO glasses. It demonstrates a unique approach to photon shielding analysis using JENDL/PD-2016 photonuclear data and employs a validated spherical neutron model for neutron shielding. Five transparent glasses were prepared with the chemical composition (in mol%) of 29BiO-70BO-(1-x)MnO: xZrO, and labeled as MZ (for x = 0), MZ (for x = 0.25), MZ (for x = 0.5), MZ (for x = 0.75) and MZ (for x = 1). The glass ceramic nature of the samples has been characterized by DTA thermograms. The glass forming ability parameters (K, S & H) were found to be highest for the sample MZ. The UV-Visible optical absorption spectra have been interpreted, and hence the cut-off wavelength (λ) and optical band gap (E) were evaluated. The absorption spectra have revealed the co-existence of manganese ions in three stable valence states Mn, Mn and Mn in the samples. When ZrO nanoparticles were added in the composition up to x = 0.50 mol%, the red shift in the cut-off wavelength (λ) with gradual shrinkage in optical band gap (E) has been observed. Also, the linear and non-linear optical parameters viz., refractive index (n), non-linear refractive index (n), linear optical susceptibility (χ) and non-linear optical susceptibility (χ) have been evaluated. These parameters showcased that B-O, Bi-O, Mn-O, Zr-O, etc. bonds could be strengthened by subsequent reduction of polarization of the trivalent ions (B ions, Bi ions and Mn ions) in the glass system at higher concentrations of ZrO. Photoatomic and photonuclear attenuation studies portrayed that the sample MZ has the lowest photon shielding capability. The fast neutron effective removal cross section (Σ) was observed to be the highest for the sample MZ. Thus, these glasses can be used to design the thermally stable transparent glasses, tunable optical elements, and radiation shielding materials.