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Mechanical properties, uncharged and charged particles shielding capacity of 60Bi2O3-(40-x) B2O3-xSiO2: x = 0 (S1), 10 (S2), 20 (S3), 30 (S4), and 40 (S5) mol% glasses have been investigated. The enhancement in Young’s, shear, and longitudinal elastic moduli and Poisson’s ratio of the denser Bi content of the S-glasses was confirmed via bond compression (B–C) and Makishima–Mackenzie (M–M) models. The trend order of the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) is consistent with that of the mass density as (S1)MAC (S2)MFP > (S3)MFP > (S4)MFP > (S5)MFP. The maximum tenth value thickness (TVT) of the glasses was recorded at 4 MeV with values of 3.93, 3.79, 3.70, 3.67, and 3.60 cm for S1, S2, S3, S4, and S5, respectively. The trend of the effective atomic number (Zeff) directly follows the MAC. Both exposure and energy absorption buildup factors (EBUF and EABUF) were increased with photon energy and depth of penetration except at Bi absorption edges where spikes were seen. Comparing the effective linear attenuation coefficient (ELAC) of the glasses, it is affirmed that S5 has the greatest photon absorption coefficient for all the considered energy and depth. Therefore, the S-glasses are better photon absorber and will perform better in gamma radiation shielding in nuclear facilities compared to commercially available glass shields (RS360 and RS520) and a recently investigated glass matrix (TVM60). In addition, the glass system can thus be used for fast neutron absorber rather than ordinary concrete or water.

Gamma-ray/neutron shielding capacity and mechanical properties of erbium-doped potassium manganese borate glasses with the chemical form of (1 − x)MnO–29K2O–70B2O3–xEr2O3: x = 0–1 mol% coded as E0–E5 via bond compression model, XCOM software, and PHITS simulations have been investigated. The bulk modulus (KB.C) values increased from 90.19 for E0 glass sample with free Er2O3 to 101.24 GPa for E5 glass sample with Er2O3 = 1 mol%. The Young’s modulus (EB.C) increased from 102.68 GPa to 115.38 GPa, while the longitudinal modulus (LB.C) increased from 142.31 GPa to 159.81 GPa for E0–E5 glasses. Poisson’s ratio (σB.C) decreased from 0.310261 to 0.310065 with the increase of Er3+ ions in the investigated glasses. Hardness of E0–E5 glasses was increased from 4.96 GPa to 5.58 GPa. The mass attenuation coefficient (µ/ρ) values were the highest at the least energy of 0.284 MeV with values of 0.1080, 0.1096, 0.1113, 0.1129, 0.1145, and 0.1161 cm2 g−1 for E0, E1, E2, E3, E4, and E5, respectively. Moreover, radiation protection efficiency (RPE) of the E0–E5 glasses was estimated using PHITS simulation code. The highest RPE was observed for E5 glass with a thickness of 5 cm. Finally, the neutron shielding capacity of E0–E5 glasses was evaluated in terms of the fast neutron removal cross section (FNRCS). The values of FNRCS increased by adding Er2O3 content and a sharp increase was observed at xEr2O3: x = 0.8 mol%. Generally, one can conclude that the E5 glass sample with the highest Er2O3 (1 mol%) concentration is the best sample as radiation shield among all the studied glasses.

Photon and neutron shielding factors and elastic moduli of phosphate glass doped with Tm3+ ions (abbreviated as PPKANT glasses) have been analyzed. MCNP-5 simulation code, and Phy-X/PSD software have been utilized to estimate the gamma rays and neutron shielding capacity. Furthermore, Makishima and Mackenzie’s theory has been performed to calculate elastic moduli. Young’s modulus, bulk modulus, and shear modulus have been varied from 40.71 to 43.62 GPa, 28.01 to 30.65 GPa, and 16.18 to 17.27 GPa, respectively. Poisson’s ratio changed from 0.257 for PPKANT0.1 glass to 0.263 for PPKANT4 glass. At low gamma photon energy (0.015 meV), the LAC increased with the increase of Tm3+ content (LAC = 155.54 and 170.18 cm−1 for glass samples PPKANT0.1 and PPKANT4, respectively). At high energy (15 MeV), the LAC changed from 0.118 to 0.124 cm−1 for PPKANT0.1 to PPKANT4. The highest values of the HVL decreased from 5.734 to 5.570 cm. The trend of MFP was like the HVL trend. At 15 MeV, the values of the EBF and EABF were rapidly increased with the increase in the penetration depth (PD), especially for PD > 20 mfp. The lowest ∑R was achieved for glasses PPKANT4 with 4 mol % Tm2O3, where ∑R = 0.02561 cm2g−1. The investigated PPKANT glasses can be considered good neutron and photon shields compared to some traditional radiation shielding materials.

Amassed borophosphate lithium molybdate samples were synthesized by the melting classical technique. To check the conditions of these synthesized glasses, the X-ray diffractometer technique was applied. The density value of these samples was increased as well as the molar volume decreased. The mechanical characteristics were linked with Fourier-transform infrared spectrum results. The addition of MoO3 increases the polymerization degree and changes the basic boring units from BO3 to BO4, increases the polymerization degree of phosphate network and changes the negative non-bridging oxygen to positive charges. Ultrasonic velocities and elastic modulus (experimental and theoretical) are increased. This behaviour is correlated to the substitution of Li–O with Mo–O linkages. Mass attenuation coefficient of the prepared samples decreased with the energy increase and with the addition of MoO3. With the increase in photon energy and MoO3 half value layer, the tenth value layer and the mean free path values increase. Hence, the increase of MoO3 leads to a better attenuation of gamma radiation. Therefore, the glass under investigation had superior characteristics for radiation protection applications.

This framework focuses fundamentally on sheet resistance, Rs, measurements for the As40S60−xSex thin films with [(0≤ x ≥60) at.%] for thickness of the film and heating rate of 1000 nm and 5 K/min, respectively. Then, we can adapt these measurements to study the thermal and electrical properties by which we can reduce the time and effort spent. The thermal and electrical analysis in this work appears in a new format without the need for a procedure to calculate the thermal measurements from bulk material of the studied sample. The same is true for electrical properties where electrical measurements need not be necessarily carried out. In this work, we will focus first on obtaining the sheet resistance, Rs of thin films whose surface thickness is equal to 1000 nm for chalcogenide As40S60−xSex thin films with [(0≤ x ≥60) at.%] at a heating rate of 5 K/min, in the temperature range from 300 to 435 K. This range was sufficient to highlight on two important regions in the sheet resistance curve and through the derivation of sheet resistance as a function of temperature, there was clear evidence of one crystallization region for the studied samples. Second, the thermal data we obtained were used to complete the thermal calculations and then the electrical calculations. The activation energies of crystallization were evaluated. The nucleation and growth order parameter n, and the dimension order parameter m, were also computed and discussed. The activation energy, Ec, and Avrami index, n, were obtained by analyzing the data via JMA methods. The results indicated that the transformation from amorphous to crystalline phases is a complex process that includes different mechanisms of nucleation and growth. The change of activation energy with volume of crystalline fraction was determined. The crystalline phases for the as-deposited and annealed films were identified using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrical results of the investigated sample appear in two types of conduction channels which contribute to two conduction mechanisms in the crystallized region. In the extended and hopping states regions, the activation energies ΔE, two pre-exponential factors $$\sigma_{0} ,$$ $$\sigma_{0}^{*}$$ and other parameters were computed.

Zirconium oxide (ZrO2) nanoparticles have been prepared and examined by XRD. The transparent lead alkali borate glass systems of formula xZrO2–20PbO2–(80 − x)·Na2B4O7 (0 ≤ x ≤ 24 mol%) are prepared by melting quench method and doped by zirconia nanoparticles. Deconvolution of its FTIR reveals to increase the N4 fraction boron atoms. This result reveals the Zr4+ which forms BO4 network units. The density and refractive index of chosen glass are increased due to add of ZrO2 nanoparticles. Both ultrasonic velocities (longitudinal vL and shear vT) increase with the ZrO2 content increase. The packing density, bulk modulus and Young’s modulus increase with increasing of ZrO2 nanoparticle content. The attenuation coefficients of the studied glasses have been measured at different energies (356, 662, 1173 and 1332 keV) using narrow beam transmission geometry. The obtained results indicated that, the values of the mass attenuation coefficient (µm), the effective atomic number (Zeff) and effective electron density (Nel) of the glass samples decreased with the increase in the ZrO2 concentration at the energies (662,1173and 1332 keV), while these parameters (µm, Zeff and Nel) increased with the increase in the ZrO2 concentration at 356 keV. The samples are irradiated 30 min by argon glow discharge plasma (GDP). The values of optical band gap decreased slowly with ZrO2 nanoparticles increased and after plasma irradiation.