Multifunctional Gd³⁺- doped tellurite glass for photonic, radiation shielding, and dosimetric applications.
8 affiliations
- 1Department of Physics, Saveetha Engineering College (Autonomous), Thandalam, Chennai, 602 105, India. [email protected].
- 2Department of Physics, Saveetha Engineering College (Autonomous), Thandalam, Chennai, 602 105, India.
- 3Centre for Material Chemistry, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore, 641021, Tamil Nadu, India.
- 4Department of Chemistry, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore, 641021, Tamil Nadu, India.
- 5Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Bisha, P.O. Box 551, Bisha, 61922, Saudi Arabia. [email protected].
- 6International Center of Nanotechnology and Functional Materials, Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, 1000000, Chile.
- 7Vicerrectoría de Investigación y Postgrado, Universidad de La Serena, Código, 1700000, Chile.
- 8Department of Peace and Development Studies, Njala University, Bo Campus -18, Bo, Sierra Leone. [email protected].
Abstract
A novel Gd³⁺-activated tellurite glass with the composition 65TeO₂-15MgO-9SrO-5ZnO-5Ta₂O₅-1Gd₂O₃ (TeMgSrTa³⁺) was developed through the conventional melt-quenching route to investigate its combined optical, luminescent, electron paramagnetic resonance, thermoluminescence, and radiation shielding characteristics within a single glass matrix. The novelty of this work lies in the incorporation of Ta₂O₅ and Gd³⁺ into the TeO₂-MgO-SrO-ZnO glass network, enabling the simultaneous realization of ultraviolet photoluminescence, favorable dosimetric response, and efficient photon and neutron attenuation, which has not been comprehensively reported for this glass composition. X-ray diffraction confirmed the formation of a completely amorphous structure, while FTIR analysis identified TeO₄ and TeO₃ structural units responsible for network modification. UV-Visible spectroscopy revealed excellent optical transparency, and the characteristic absorption bands observed at 209, 247, and 347 nm were assigned to the 4f-5d transitions of Gd³⁺ ions. Under ultraviolet excitation, the glass exhibited a strong emission centered at 313 nm, originating from the ⁶P₇/₂→⁸S₇/₂ transition of Gd³⁺, with chromaticity coordinates of x = 0.1487 and y = 0.0468, demonstrating its suitability for ultraviolet photonic applications. Comprehensive gamma-ray shielding analysis showed close agreement between experimental and theoretical attenuation parameters, including the mass attenuation coefficient, linear attenuation coefficient, half-value layer, tenth-value layer, and mean free path across a broad photon energy range. The measured fast neutron effective removal cross-section further confirmed the material's capability for neutron shielding. Thermoluminescence investigations produced well-defined glow peaks with favorable kinetic parameters, indicating promising dosimetric performance. Electron paramagnetic resonance analysis verified the valence state and local coordination environment of Gd³⁺ ions, providing insight into the ligand field surrounding the activator. The synergistic combination of structural stability, ultraviolet luminescence, radiation attenuation efficiency, and dosimetric response demonstrates that the proposed TeMgSrTa³⁺ glass is a promising multifunctional material for advanced photonic devices, radiation protection systems, and radiation sensing technologies.
Related
- Physical, mechanical, and radiation shielding performance of granodiorite for construction applications
- Scalable polyaniline-bridged multifunctional bamboo fiber/carbon nanotubes composite foam via ambient drying for thermal protection and electromagnetic shielding
- Simulation of Shielding Performance of Ta-10W Alloy and Lead in CT Lateral Scattered Radiation Fields
- A Nano-Bismuth–Silicone Polymer Composite as Shielding for X-Rays in Extreme-Environment Applications: Experimental and Simulation Studies
- Advances in elastomeric composites for radiation shielding: a comprehensive review
BibTeX
@article{sivakumar2026multifunctional,
title = {{Multifunctional Gd³⁺- doped tellurite glass for photonic, radiation shielding, and dosimetric applications.}},
author = {T Sivakumar and P Vinothkumar and Manikandan Ayyar and Abdullatif Hakami and G Lalitha and D Shanmugapriya and Mohamed Yusuf},
journal = {BMC chemistry},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s13065-026-01886-y},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42928358},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Multifunctional Gd³⁺- doped tellurite glass for photonic, radiation shielding, and dosimetric applications.
AU - T Sivakumar
AU - P Vinothkumar
AU - Manikandan Ayyar
AU - Abdullatif Hakami
AU - G Lalitha
AU - D Shanmugapriya
AU - Mohamed Yusuf
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/28
JO - BMC chemistry
DO - 10.1186/s13065-026-01886-y
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42928358
AB - A novel Gd³⁺-activated tellurite glass with the composition 65TeO₂-15MgO-9SrO-5ZnO-5Ta₂O₅-1Gd₂O₃ (TeMgSrTa³⁺) was developed through the conventional melt-quenching route to investigate its combined optical, luminescent, electron paramagnetic resonance, thermoluminescence, and radiation shielding characteristics within a single glass matrix. The novelty of this work lies in the incorporation of Ta₂O₅ and Gd³⁺ into the TeO₂-MgO-SrO-ZnO glass network, enabling the simultaneous realization of ultraviolet photoluminescence, favorable dosimetric response, and efficient photon and neutron attenuation, which has not been comprehensively reported for this glass composition. X-ray diffraction confirmed the formation of a completely amorphous structure, while FTIR analysis identified TeO₄ and TeO₃ structural units responsible for network modification. UV-Visible spectroscopy revealed excellent optical transparency, and the characteristic absorption bands observed at 209, 247, and 347 nm were assigned to the 4f-5d transitions of Gd³⁺ ions. Under ultraviolet excitation, the glass exhibited a strong emission centered at 313 nm, originating from the ⁶P₇/₂→⁸S₇/₂ transition of Gd³⁺, with chromaticity coordinates of x = 0.1487 and y = 0.0468, demonstrating its suitability for ultraviolet photonic applications. Comprehensive gamma-ray shielding analysis showed close agreement between experimental and theoretical attenuation parameters, including the mass attenuation coefficient, linear attenuation coefficient, half-value layer, tenth-value layer, and mean free path across a broad photon energy range. The measured fast neutron effective removal cross-section further confirmed the material's capability for neutron shielding. Thermoluminescence investigations produced well-defined glow peaks with favorable kinetic parameters, indicating promising dosimetric performance. Electron paramagnetic resonance analysis verified the valence state and local coordination environment of Gd³⁺ ions, providing insight into the ligand field surrounding the activator. The synergistic combination of structural stability, ultraviolet luminescence, radiation attenuation efficiency, and dosimetric response demonstrates that the proposed TeMgSrTa³⁺ glass is a promising multifunctional material for advanced photonic devices, radiation protection systems, and radiation sensing technologies.
SN - 2661-801X
ER -