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. 2024 Jun 13;14(1):13673.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-63207-4.

Newly developed CeO2 and Gd2O3-reinforced borosilicate glasses from municipal waste ash and their optical, structural, and gamma-ray shielding properties

Affiliations

Newly developed CeO2 and Gd2O3-reinforced borosilicate glasses from municipal waste ash and their optical, structural, and gamma-ray shielding properties

E M Abou Hussein et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

From the useless municipal solid waste (MSW) ashes, CeO2, Gd2O3 and CeO2 + Gd2O3 doped borosilicate glasses were organized via melting-quenching procedure. Various optical, structural, physical and radiation shielding parameters were examined towards the influence of 100 kGy of γ-radiation. UV-visible NIR spectra revealed UV peaks at 351, 348 and 370 nm corresponding to the trivalent states of Ce3+ and Gd3+ ions, while, photoluminescence (PL) spectra displayed asymmetric broad excitations of Ce3+ and Gd3+ ions due to 4f → 5d transitions, and emission intense bands at 412, 434, and 417 nm. CIE chromaticity shows that Gd3+ ions increase the luminescence of Ce3+. FTIR absorption bands revealed an overlapping between tetrahedral groups of silicate (SiO4), with trigonal (BO3) and tetrahedral (BO4) units of borate. The influence of 100 kGy obtains quite reduction in UV-visible NIR and PL peaks, large stability in FTIR and ESR spectra, and stability of thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) as well. The whole data revealed optical, structural and physical stability of glasses after irradiation besides an enhancement in microhardness owing to more structural compactness and high bonding connectivity. Radiation shielding parameters from Phy-X/PSD program showed higher values of mass (MAC) and linear attenuation coefficients (LAC), and effective atomic number (Zeff) in the order of; glass Ce+Gd > glass Ce > glass Gd. Ce + Gd doped glass revealed also the lowest half value layer (HVL) comparing to other shielding commercial concretes. The study recommends the beneficial and economical use of the useless MSW ash to produce CeO2 and/or Gd2O3 borosilicate glasses with hopeful radiation shielding features.

Keywords: Borosilicate glasses; Municipal waste; Photoluminescence; Radiation shielding parameters; Rare earth ions.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
XRD pattern of the prepared the three RE borosilicate glasses.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Optical absorbance of RE-glasses before and after 100 kGy of gamma irradiation for (a) RE1(Ce) (b) RE2 (Gd) and (c) RE3(Ce + Gd).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Plot of (αhν)1/2 against hν (Tauc’s plot) for RE-glasses before and after 100 kGy of gamma irradiation for (a) RE1(Ce) (b) RE2 (Gd) and (c) RE3(Ce + Gd) doped glasses.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The optical band gap before and after 100 kGy of gamma irradiation for RE1(Ce), RE2 (Gd) and RE3(Ce + Gd).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Percent of change in the optical band gap (% Eg) for RE-glasses after 100 kG of gamma irradiations.
Figure 6
Figure 6
The photoluminescence spectra of RE doped-glasses before and after 100 kGy of gamma irradiation where (a) 0.7% CeO2 (b) 0.25 Gd2O3 and (c) 0.5%CeO2 + 0.3Gd2O3.
Figure 7
Figure 7
CIE -chromaticity coordinates of the prepared glassy samples.
Figure 8
Figure 8
FTIR absorption spectra of CeO2 doped borosilicate glass before and after 100 kGy of gamma radiation.
Figure 9
Figure 9
FTIR absorption spectra of Gd2O3 doped borosilicate glass before and after 100 kGy of gamma radiation.
Figure 10
Figure 10
FTIR absorption spectra of CeO2 + Gd2O3 doped borosilicate glass before and after 100 kGy of gamma radiation.
Figure 11
Figure 11
ESR spectra of the three prepared glasses Ce (RE1), Gd (RE2) and Ce + Gd (RE3), before and after 100 kGy of gamma radiation.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Thermal expansion curve of the prepared CeO2 and/or Gd2O3-doped glasses before gamma irradiation.
Figure 13
Figure 13
Thermal expansion curve of the prepared CeO2 and/or Gd2O3-doped glasses after 100 kGy of gamma irradiation.
Figure 14
Figure 14
Variation of MAC as a function of photon energy of Ce (S1), Gd (S2) and Ce + Gd (S3) doped borosilicate glasses.
Figure 15
Figure 15
Variation of LAC as a function of photon energy of Ce (S1), Gd (S2) and Ce + Gd (S3) doped borosilicate glasses.
Figure 16
Figure 16
Variation of HVL as a function of photon energy of Ce (S1), Gd (S2) and Ce + Gd (S3) doped borosilicate glasses.
Figure 17
Figure 17
HVL of the prepared glasses compared with some commercial concrete.
Figure 18
Figure 18
Variation of Zeff as a function of photon energy of Ce (S1), Gd (S2) and Ce + Gd (S3) doped borosilicate glasses.

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