Effect of TiO2 doping and gamma ray irradiation on the properties of SrO-B2O3 glasses

Glasses from the binary strontium borate system of the basic composition 45%SrO-55%B2O3 together with samples containing different concentrations of TiO2 (2-10%) replacing equivalent SrO were prepared. The prepared samples were characterized by means of combined Fourier transform infrared absorption (FTIR) and UV-visible optical absorption spectroscopic measurements before and after subjecting the glasses to gamma irradiation with doses up to 8 Mrad. XRD diffraction patterns have indicated the amorphous nature of the prepared glasses over the entire compositional range. Binary undoped strontium borate glass exhibits strong UV absorption bands which are attributed to the presence of unavoidable trace iron impurities (mainly Fe3+ ions) while the TiO2 containing glasses reveal an additional UV band which can be related to the presence of titanium ions mostly as tetravalent Ti4+ ions in this host strontium borate glass. FTIR spectra of the prepared glasses show the appearance of both triangular and tetrahedral borate units in their specific wavenumbers with the first groups in higher ratio. Minor changes have been identified in the intensity or position of the borate IR vibrational bands upon the increase of TiO2 within the glass content. The resolution of a distinct IR peak at 420 cm(-1) can be related to the presence of B-O or Ti-O-Ti bonding upon the increase of TiO2 content. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.