Comprehensive analysis of structure–property–shielding relationships in Pr2O3-modified tellurite glass systems

Abstract

Abstract This work investigated the structural, thermal, mechanical, and shielding characteristics of a tellurite-based glass series with the composition 60TeO 2 –12.5Nb 2 O 5 –12.5ZnO–(15– x )LiF– x Pr 2 O 3 , where x ranged from 0.5 to 5.0 mol%. The novelty of this study lay in a comprehensive analysis that combined multiple techniques. The research involved using the radial distribution function (RDF) with Gaussian fitting to determine structural parameters and the fraction of trigonal bipyramidal (TeO 4 ), N 4 (X-ray) representation for each glass sample. The study also utilized deconvoluted FTIR spectra to further characterize the glass structure. Results showed the transformation of trigonal pyramidal (TeO 3 ) tp units to trigonal bipyramidal (TeO 4 ) tbp units and consequently enhanced the rigidity of the glass structure with addition of Pr 2 O 3 . Additionally, it established a logarithmic correlation across the entire glass series, linking the molar volume (V m ) with the experimental bulk modulus (K exp ​), $$\:{K}_{exp}={V}_{m}^{-\alpha\:}$$ , and explored the correlations between these properties and the power (α). The ring deformation model was applied to calculate the average atomic ring diameter. Increased Pr 2 ​O 3 ​ content enhanced the glass’s thermal stability. This was evidenced by a significant rise in its glass transition temperature and onset crystallization temperature, indicating a more rigid and stable structure. In addition, various shielding parameters were determined. The results of this investigation highlight the excellent gamma photon shielding capabilities of these glasses.