Physical, optical, thermoanalytical, and radiation response study of Eu2O3-doped zinc fluoro-telluroborate glasses

Abstract

In the present study, Eu3+-doped zinc fluoro-telluroborate transparent glasses were prepared by the conventional melt−quench technique. Their density and refractive index values were measured, and using these values, different physical parameters (number density, oxygen packing density, no. of bonds/vol, etc.) were calculated and analysed. The XRD pattern displayed a disordered atomic arrangement in the glass network. The EDS spectra proved the purity of the samples exhibiting only those elements used during the synthesis. The good solubility of Eu3+ ions in zinc fluoro-telluroborate glasses was analysed through fine absorption peaks in the UV−Vis−NIR range. The absorption intensities increased in all samples up to 3.0 mol% of Eu3+-doping concentration. The stabilities of the samples, such as ∆T ~ (144–156) °C and Hr ~ 2.33–4.00, calculated using characteristic temperatures (Tg, Tx, Tc, Tm) from DSC studies exhibited their promising candidature in a high-temperature environment. The Eu7 (Eu3+ with 3.0 mol%) glass confirmed better attenuation properties (LAC, Zeff, HVL, MFP) compared to other composition (0–2.5 mol%) glasses.