Extensive research into the structure, elasticity, optical, and radiation-shielding properties of zinc phosphate glasses doped with tungsten ions

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Materials science & processing, 2024-04, Vol.130 (4), Article 229
• Main Authors: Hammad, Ahmed H., Abdelghany, A. M., Rabie, G. O.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminum oxide; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Condensed Matter Physics; Density; Elastic properties; Machines; Manufacturing; Nanotechnology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Optical properties; Phosphate glass; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Processes; Radiation shielding; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; Tungsten oxides; Zinc phosphate
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-024-07405-x

The current research aims to investigate in depth the physical, elastic, optical, and shielding behaviors of a glass network of zinc phosphate. Aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) was added as a glass modifier to improve the network strength. In addition, tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) was added as a dopant, with a ratio ranging from 0.2 to 0.7 mol% to enhance the glass characteristics. The glass density ( D ) values increased from 3.37 (the base glass) to 3.62 g/cm 3 when WO 3 was added to the network at 0.7 mol%. The increase in density values led to an improvement in the elastic properties of phosphate glass. Furthermore, the presence of WO 3 in the zinc phosphate network tuned the optical band gap ( E g ), which decreased from 3.95 to 2.6 eV and also improved the non-linear optical susceptibility ( χ 3 ). The shielding behavior of such glass was strengthened by WO 3 , and its parameters were discussed at different energies.