Optimization of rice husk fibre size for improved density, transparency, and electron shielding efficiency in tellurite glass systems

Incorporating rice husk fibres (RHF) into glass systems has shown promise in their improving optical and mechanical properties. This study investigated the optimal RHF size for radiation shielding in tellurite glass samples upon exposure to a 3 MeV electron beam. Tellurite glasses with a composition of 69.5TeO 2 –20ZnO–10Na 2 O–0.5Er 2 O 3 reinforced with 0.4 wt% rice husk fibres of different particle sizes (63, 125, and 250 μm) were fabricated using the melt-quenching technique. The results indicate that the density of the samples increases with smaller rice husk fibres, particularly with a size of 63 μm, showing a 28% and 41% increase after 10 kGy and 50 kGy radiation doses. Smaller fibres have been discovered to enhance the mechanical properties of the material. The amorphous nature of the glass was maintained even after exposure to high doses of radiation, as verified by X-ray diffraction analysis. Furthermore, the surface roughness of the glass samples increased significantly when comparing the result of the rice husk sizes were 63 μm and 125 μm. The order of transmission percentage of the samples after radiation was TZNERHF63>TZNERHF250>TZNERHF125. The optical transmission spectra of all samples decreased after 50 kGy electron beam irradiation. The investigated glass has a higher effective atomic number (Zeff) than other materials. Overall, the tellurite glass samples with 63 μm rice husk fibres exhibited the highest interfacial bond strength, transparency, and considerable shielding properties among all the fabricated tellurite samples. These findings provide valuable insights into the development of radiation shielding materials with enhanced mechanical and optical properties. The novelty of this work lies in identifying the rice husk fibre particle size as a key microstructural control parameter for electron beam shielding efficiency in tellurite glass systems, while simultaneously influencing mechanical stability and optical transparency, thereby demonstrating a sustainable and low-cost strategy for advanced radiation shielding materials.