The gamma radiation shielding ability for CaO-K₂O-Na₂O-P₂O₅ glasses were experimentally determined between 0.0595 and 1.41 MeV. The experimental MAC results were compared with theoretical results obtained from the XCOM software to test the accuracy of the experimental values. Additionally, the effect of increasing the P₂O₅ in the glass composition, or reducing the Na₂O content, was evaluated at varying energies. For the fabricated glasses, the experimental data strongly agreed with the XCOM results. The effective atomic number (Z_eff) of the fabricated glasses was also determined. The Z_eff values start out at their maximum (12.41–12.55) at the lowest tested energy, 0.0595 MeV, and decrease to 10.69–10.80 at 0.245 MeV. As energy further increases, the Z_eff values remain almost constant between 0.344 and 1.41 MeV. The mean free path (MFP) of the fabricated glasses is investigated and we found that the lowest MFP value occurs at the lowest tested energy, 0.0595 MeV, and lies within the range of 1.382–1.486 cm, while the greatest MFP can be found at the highest tested energy, 1.41 MeV, within the range of 8.121–8.656 cm. At all energies, the KCNP40 sample has the lowest MFP, while the KCNP60 sample has the greatest. The half value layer (HVL) for the KCNP-X glasses is determined. For all the selected energies, the HVL values follow the order of KCNP40 < KCNP45 < KCNP50 < KCNP55 < KCNP60. The HVL of the KCNP50 sample increased from 0.996 to 2.663, 3.392, 4.351, and 5.169 cm for energies of 0.0595, 0.245, 0.444, 0.779, and 1.11 MeV, respectively. The radiation protection efficiency (RPE) results reveal that decreasing the P₂O₅ content in the glasses improves the radiation shielding ability of the samples. Thus, the KCNP40 sample has the best potential for photon attenuation applications.

Using the auto combustion flash method, ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{1-\mathrm{x}}^{+2}{\mathrm{Mg}}_{\mathrm{x}}^{+2}{\mathrm{Fe}}_2^{+3}{\mathrm{O}}_4$ (x = 0, 0.2, 0.6, 0.8 and 1) nano-ferrites were synthesized. All samples were thermally treated at 973 K for 3 h. The structural analysis for the synthesized samples was performed using XRD, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and FTIR. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was undertaken to explore the surface morphology of all the samples. The thermal stability of these samples was investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). XRD data show the presence of a single spinel phase for all the prepared samples. The intensity of the principal peak of the spinel phase decreases as Mg content increases, showing that Mg delays crystallinity. The Mg content raised the average grain size (D) from 0.084 μm to 0.1365 μm. TGA shows two stages of weight loss variation. The vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) measurement shows that magnetic parameters, such as initial permeability (μ_i) and saturation magnetization (M_s), decay with rising Mg content. The permeability and magnetic anisotropy at different frequencies and temperatures were studied to show the samples’ magnetic behavior and determine the Curie temperature (T_C), which depends on the internal structure. The electrical resistivity behavior shows the semi-conductivity trend of the samples. Finally, the dielectric constant increases sharply at high temperatures, explained by the increased mobility of charge carriers, and decreases with increasing frequency.

Considering how important rare earth elements (REEs) are for many different industries, it is important to separate them from other elements. An extractant that binds to REEs inexpensively and selectively even in the presence of interfering ions can be used to develop a useful separation method. This work was designed to recover REEs from spent nickel–metal hydride batteries using ammonium sulfate. The chemical composition of the Ni–MH batteries was examined. The operating leaching conditions of REE extraction from black powder were experimentally optimized. The optimal conditions for the dissolution of approximately 99.98% of REEs and almost all zinc were attained through use of a 300 g/L (NH₄)₂SO₄ concentration after 180 min of leaching time and a 1:3 solid/liquid phase ratio at 120 °C. The kinetic data fit the chemical control model. The separation of total REEs and zinc was conducted under traditional conditions to produce both metal values in marketable forms. The work then shifted to separate cerium as an individual REE through acid baking with HCl, thus leaving pure cerium behind.

In the present investigation, ZnO films co-doped with Mn and La were synthesized by the sol–gel technique. XRD analysis revealed that ZnO had a hexagonal structure. Mixed hexagonal and cubic phases appeared in ZnO containing Mn (1%) and La (1.5%). The grain size, d-spacing, unit cell, lattice parameters, atomic packing fraction, volume, strain, crystallinity, and bond length of co-doped ZnO films were determined as a function of doped ion contents. Through UV analysis, it was found that pristine ZnO had E_g = 3.5 eV, and it decreased when increasing the doping concentration, reaching the minimum value for the sample with 1% Mn and 1% La. The optical parameters of the films, such as absorption, transmittance, dielectric constants, and refractive index, were also analyzed. DSSCs were fabricated using the prepared ZnO films. For pure ZnO film, the values were: efficiency = 0.69%, current density = 2.5 mAcm⁻², and open-circuit voltage = 0.56 V. When ZnO was co-doped with Mn and La, the efficiency increased significantly. DSSCs with a ZnO photoanode co-doped with 1% Mn and 1% La exhibited maximum values of J_sc = 4.28 mAcm⁻², V_oc = 0.6 V, and efficiency = 1.89%, which is 174% better than pristine ZnO-based DSSCs. This material is good for the electrode of perovskite solar cells.

A competitive new technology, organic metallic halide perovskite solar cells feature a wide working area, low manufacturing costs, a long lifespan, and a significant amount of large efficacy of power conversion (PCE). The spin-coating technique was utilized for the fabrication of pure CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ (MAPbBr₃) thin films, and these films are implanted with 600 keV silver (Ag) ions at fluency rate of 6 × 10¹⁴ and 4 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm². XRD analysis confirmed the cubic structure of MAPbBr₃. A high grain size was observed at the fluency rate of 4 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm². The UV-Vis spectroscopic technique was used to calculate the optical properties such as the bandgap energy (E_g), refractive index (n), extinction coefficients (k), and dielectric constant. A direct E_g of 2.44 eV was measured for the pristine film sample, whereas 2.32 and 2.36 eV were measured for Ag ion-implanted films with a 4 × 10¹⁴ and 6 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm² fluence rate, respectively. The solar cells of these films were fabricated. The J_sc was 6.69 mA/cm², FF was 0.80, V_oc was 1.1 V, and the efficiency was 5.87% for the pristine MAPbBr₃-based cell. All of these parameters were improved by Ag ion implantation. The maximum values were observed at a fluency rate of 4 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm², where the V_oc was 1.13 V, FF was 0.75, J_sc was 8.18 mA/cm², and the efficiency was 7.01%.

We aimed, in this investigation, to prepare novel concretes which can be used in gamma-ray shielding applications. The experimental approach was performed using a NaI (Tl) detector to measure the concrete’s shielding features for different energies, ranging from 0.081 MeV to 1.408 MeV. The density of the fabricated concretes decreased with increasing W/C ratio, where the density decreased by 2.680 g/cm³, 2.614 g/cm³, and 2.564 g/cm³ for concretes A, B, and C, respectively, with increases in the W/C ratio of 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8, respectively. When the energy was elevated between 0.08 MeV and 1.408 MeV, the highest values were attained for concrete A, with values ranging between 0.451 cm⁻¹ and 0.179 cm⁻¹. The lowest half-value layer (Δ_0.5) values were achieved for concrete C, where the Δ_0.5 values varied between 1.53 cm and 3.86 cm between 0.08 MeV and 1.408 MeV. The highest Δ_0.5 values were achieved for concrete A, where the Δ_0.5 varied between 1.77 cm and 4.67 cm between 0.08 MeV and 1.408 MeV. According to this investigation, concrete A has the highest promise in radiation shielding purposes because it has the most desirable properties of the concretes studied.