Synthesis, physical, optical characteristics, neutron/γ-rays shielding capacity of newly arsenic glasses: experimental, theoretical, and simulation investigations

A melt quenching procedure was used to create newly created arsenic glasses with chemical compositions of (70 − x)B₂O₃-15CaO-15Li₂O-xAs₂O₃: x = 0 (As0)–20 (As20) mol percent in stages of 5 mol percent. Physical and optical properties of the prepared glasses have been investigated. In the broad photon energy range of 0.015–15 MeV, gamma-radiation and neutron shielding capacities have been evaluated. XRD measurements verified that the syntheized arsenic glasses are in amorphous state. The density of the manufactured arsenic glasses gradually increased from 2.410 g/cm³ for the As0 glass sample to 2.760 g/cm³ for the As20 glass sample. For the glasses containing 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 mol% As₂O₃, respectively, the optical energy band gap (E_g) was 2.61, 2.58, 2.54, 2.51 and 2.49 eV, and the optical linear (n_o) refractive index was 2.498, 2.507, 2.518, 2.527, and 2.533. The values of the mass attenuation coefficient (µ_m) that are obtained when As₂O₃ is inserted into the glass matrix are directly positively impacted. All arsenic glasses had a lowest µ_m (µ_m)_min value of 0.02 cm²/g at 15 MeV, while the maximum µ_m (µ_m)_max values were 3.76, 13.22, 21.18, 27.98, and 33.84 cm²/g for As0, As5, As10, As15, and As20, respectively, at 0.015 MeV. The As As20 glass attained the lowest values of the half value layer parameter (T_1/2), which ranged from 0.007 cm at 0.015 MeV to 10.64 cm at 15 MeV. The behavior of the half-tenth layer (T_1/10) and mean free path (λ) is identical to that of the T_1/2. For As0, As5, As10, As15, and As20 glasses, respectively, the measured values of FNRCS in cm⁻¹ were 0.1071, 0.1040, 0.1016, 0.1003, and 0.0971 cm⁻¹. Our results are contrasted with some concrete and glass findings. The outcome showed that the optimum glasses for shielding against neutrons and gamma rays are As0 and As20, respectively.