Build-up shielding-factors, and physical & mechanical properties of borosilicate glasses with varied CeO2 contents

Abstract

Heavy-metal borosilicate glasses of composition 10BaO–10CdO–12PbO–3Al₂O₃–5SiO₂–(Z)CeO₂–(60 − Z)B₂O₃ (where Z = 0.5–4.0 mol%) were synthesized via a melt-quenching technique to systematically evaluate the influence of CeO₂ incorporation on their γ-ray shielding and mechanical characteristics. XRD and XPS confirmed amorphous glass formation with mixed Ce³⁺/Ce⁴⁺ oxidation states (42%/58%), while SEM-EDX evidenced compositional homogeneity and densification with increasing Ce content. Density rose by 8.55%, molar volume decreased by 4.21%, and oxygen packing density increased by 3.48%, signifying structural compaction. Mechanical assessments, based on the Makishima–McKenzie approach, showed that Young's modulus and bulk modulus increased from 74.53 to 77.43 GPa and 51.99 to 56.26 GPa, respectively, up to 2 mol% CeO₂, reflecting enhanced rigidity. Gamma-ray attenuation parameters determined using the Py-MLBUF platform revealed a substantial improvement in linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) by 21.75%, and a reduction in half-value layer (HVL) by 13.64% at 0.015 MeV, confirming superior shielding efficiency. The double-layer exposure buildup factors (DLEBF) reached a maximum of 6.79 at 0.05 MeV for GC₂–GC₀, demonstrating effective secondary photon suppression. These results highlight that moderate CeO₂ substitution enhances glass compactness, mechanical resilience, and γ-ray attenuation, establishing Ce-doped borosilicate glasses as robust candidates for advanced radiation shielding applications.