Abstract
This study reports the fabrication and characterization of novel bismuth borate-based glass systems doped with varying concentrations of antimony oxide (Sb₂O₃) for gamma radiation shielding applications. Using the melt-quenching method, the glass systems [0] with x = 0, 1, 3, and 5 mol% were prepared. Density measurements, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV–Vis–NIR spectroscopy were employed to analyze the structural, physical, and optical properties systematically. The results show that increasing Sb₂O₃ content raises the glass density, refractive index, and oxygen packing density, while reducing the molar volume and optical band gap. These changes contribute to forming a more compact glass network. Using Phy-X/PSD software, the radiation shielding coefficients, such as the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), effective atomic number (Zeff), and half-value layer (HVL), were determined. The sample with 5 mol% Sb₂O₃ demonstrated the best gamma-ray shielding performance, especially at low photon energies, owing to the high atomic number and density of Sb. The findings suggest that Sb₂O₃ functions as an effective dopant to improve the optical nonlinearity and radiation protection capacity of borate-based glasses, making them promising candidates for transparent shielding in medical, nuclear, and industrial environments.
Data availability
All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article.
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Shaimaa Hafez collected the experimental data, wrote the main manuscript text, prepared the figures, and analyzed the results. The authors, W.Gomaa and E.Salama, reviewed the 1 st draft. All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.
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Hafez, S., Gomaa, W.M. & Salama, E. Optimizing gamma radiation shielding of low bismuth borate glass via antimony addition: optical and physical insights. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-37686-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-37686-6
