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Alpha‐Decay‐Induced Amorphization in Complex Silicate Structures
Author(s) -
Weber William J.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of the american ceramic society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1551-2916
pISSN - 0002-7820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1151-2916.1993.tb06641.x
Subject(s) - amorphous solid , materials science , doping , swelling , silicate , crystallographic defect , crystallography , chemistry , composite material , optoelectronics , organic chemistry
Alpha decay in Cm‐doped Ca 2 Nd 8 (SiO 4 ) 6 O 2 , Pu‐doped ZrSiO 4 , and natural ZrSiO 4 minerals results in the simultaneous accumulation of point defects and amorphous regions that both contribute to the macroscopic swelling. A composite model for the macroscopic swelling is used to determine the amorphous fraction as a function of cumulative alpha‐decay events. The dependence of the derived amorphous fraction in Ca 2 Nd 8 (SiO 4 ) 6 O 2 on cumulative alpha‐decay events is consistent with amorphization occurring directly within an individual displacement cascade. In ZrSiO 4 , on the other hand, the rate of amorphization is lower and the derived amorphous fraction as a function of cumulative alpha‐decay events is consistent with models for amorphization occurring as a result of the local accumulation of high‐defect concentrations from the multiple overlapping of displacement cascades.