Gadolinium doped lithium aluminum borate [Li3Al3(BO3)4:Gd] materials synthesized and characterized for its structural, optical and thermoluminescence properties for use in dosimetric application

Abstract

Lithium aluminum borate materials was made ready for dosimetric uses in radiation processes. In order to enhance the structural and dosimetric qualities, varying mole concentrations of gadolinium were added to samples of lithium aluminum borate materials. High temperature solid-state technique was used in producing the lithium aluminum borate material. The characterization of the material was archived by using Scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffractometer, thermal gravimetric evaluation, UV–vis–NIR spectrophotometer and thermoluminescence reader/irradiator in other to determine for their structural, thermal analysis, optical properties and dosimetric properties respectively. The kinetic analysis of the major glow peak yielded the activation energy. The crystalline sizes of the undoped and gadolinium-doped Li₃Al₃(BO₃)₄ materials were reported to be approximately 36.38 nm and 68.84 nm, respectively, which relies on their matching peaks at a 2θ angle of 25.79^o. The grain size for the undoped and gadolinium doped lithium aluminum borate were found within a given range of values 140–160 nm, and 80–100 nm respectively. The optical energy band gap was found within 3.90 eV–4.35 eV for the gadolinium doped while the undoped is 3.00 eV for lithium aluminum borate respectively. A larger energy band gap of lithium aluminum borate was observed after gadolinium was incorporated as dopant. The phosphor of lithium aluminum borate doped with gadolinium was observed to exhibit prominent TL intensity peaks at 100 °C following irradiation. The irradiated samples of lithium aluminum borate doped with gadolinium showed a dose response that was linear between 20 and 150 Gy. This work demonstrates the potential use of Gd-doped lithium aluminum borate phosphor in radiation dosimetry.