Erbium (III)- and Terbium (III)-containing silicate-based bioactive glass powders: physical, structural and nuclear radiation shielding characteristics

Erbium (III)- and terbium (III)-containing (1, 3 and 5 wt%) silicate-based bioactive glass powders were synthesized using sol-gel method. Their structural and physical properties were investigated. Radiation attenuation properties of the prepared glass samples were examined using Monte Carlo simulations. The photon transmission properties of the prepared bioactive specimens were obtained via Phy-X PSD program and FLUKA simulation. Results showed that all of the glasses synthesized in the study were amorphous. The true density values were measured in the range of 2.57-2.68 g/cm(3). Simulation studies revealed that the lowest neutron cross section was observed for the pure 13-93 bioactive glass sample and the maximum neutron cross section was noted for the prepared bioactive specimens of 5% Er and 5% Tb. Bioactive glass powders synthesized in the study have potential to be used as radiation shielding material in tissue engineering applications.