Influence of B2O3 incorporation on the structural, mechanical and radiation shielding properties of TeO2 Based bioglasses
Esmanur Oruc Ulas, Abuzer Açıkgöz, Bülent Aktaş, Yusuf Kavun
Abstract
This study investigates the structural, mechanical, and radiation shielding properties of a series of novel bio glasses with the composition (55-x)TeO 2 -20Na 2 O-10CaO-15P 2 O 5 -xB 2 O 3 (where x = 0, 3, 5, 10, and 20 mol%). The aim was to evaluate the effect of B 2 O 3 addition on these properties. Empirical methods were used for calculating the mechanical and elastic properties . XRD analysis confirmed the amorphous nature of the glasses, while FTIR spectroscopy revealed the presence of characteristic functional groups associated with TeO 2 and B 2 O 3 . The results indicate that B 2 O 3 incorporation significantly reduces the glass density (from 4.24 g/cm 3 to 3.18 g/cm 3 ) and enhances molar volume (from 29.963 cm 3 /mol to 34.302 cm 3 /mol), leading to a less compact glass structure . The mechanical properties were also affected, with fracture toughness decreasing (from 1.367 MPa m 1/2 to 1.280 MPa m 1/2 ) and hardness increasing (from 3.091 GPa to 3.207 GPa). Regarding radiation shielding performance, the Linear Attenuation Coefficient (LAC) values decreased with increasing B 2 O 3 content, indicating a deterioration in shielding effectiveness due to the lower effective atomic number of B 2 O 3 compared to TeO 2 . These findings demonstrate that while B 2 O 3 improves mechanical hardness and molar volume , it compromises radiation shielding properties by reducing glass density and attenuation capacity.