Swift heavy ion-irradiated multi-phase calcium borosilicates: implications to molybdenum incorporation, microstructure, and network topology
Résumé
A series of calcium borosilicate glasses with varying [B2O3], [MoO3], and [CaO]
were prepared and subjected to 92 MeV Xe ions used to simulate the damage
from long-term a-decay in nuclear waste glasses. Modifications to the solubility
of molybdenum, the microstructure of separated phases, and the Si–O–B network topology were investigated following five irradiation experiments that
achieved doses between 5 9 1012 and 1.8 9 1014 Xe ions/cm2 in order to test the
hypotheses of whether irradiation would induce, propagate, or anneal phase
separation. Using electron microscopy, EDS analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and
XRD, irradiation was observed to increase the integration of MoO4
2- by
increasing the structural disorder within and between heterogeneous amorphous phases. This occurred through Si/B-O-Si/B bond breakage and reformation of boroxyl and 3/4-membered SiO4 rings. De-mixing of the Si–O–B
network concurrently enabled cross directional Ca and Mo diffusion along
defect created pathways, which were prevalent along the interface between
phases. The initiation and extent of these changes was dependent primarily on
the [SiO2]/[B2O3] ratio, with [MoO3] having a secondary effect on influencing
the defect population with increasing dose. Microstructurally, these changes to
bonding caused a reduction in heterogeneities between amorphous phases by
reducing the size and increasing the spatial distribution of immiscible droplets.
This general increase in structural disorder prevented crystallization in most
cases, but where precipitation was initiated by radiation, it was re-amorphized
with increasing dose. These outcomes suggest that internal radiation can alter
phase separation tie lines, and can therefore be used as a tool to design certain
structural environments for long-term encapsulation of radioisotopes.
Domaines
ChimieOrigine | Publication financée par une institution |
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Licence |