Induced swelling in radiation damaged ZrSiO 4

Abstract

A hydrothermal gelation method was used to prepare phase pure polycrystalline ZrSiO 4 which was sintered to 95% theoretical density. Actinide doped samples containing 10 wt% 238Pu were prepared by an analogous procedure and incurred bulk radiation damage through internal alpha-decay processes. Undoped samples were subjected to external irradiation from 5.5 MeV alpha sources, and from a 60Co gamma source. Actinide doped ZrSiO 4 exhibits dose dependent swelling caused by displacement processes leading to ingrowth of amorphous regions. Bulk density and XRD measurements, as a function of dose, showed first order exponential ingrowth behavior similar to that observed in other actinide doped materials. Results are compared with reported data for naturally damaged crystals subjected to significantly lower alpha decay rates. No significant dose rate dependence on damage ingrowth has been observed. Kinetic models for the observed dose dependent swelling are proposed and rate constants for damage ingrowth in synthetic and natural crystals are compared. To study localized damage induced by both external alpha and gamma irradiation, vibrational Raman measurements were obtained for several accumulated doses. Results indicate that the initial stage of damage ingrowth is confined to the silicate sublattice. Vibrational results will be discussed in terms of microstructural changes which result from irradiation.