Radiation Tolerance of Complex Oxides
K. E. Sickafus,1*
L. Minervini,2
R. W. Grimes,2
J. A. Valdez,1
M. Ishimaru,3
F. Li,1
K. J. McClellan,1
T. Hartmann1
The radiation performance of a variety of complex oxides
is predicted on the basis of a material's propensity to accommodate lattice point defects. The calculations indicate that a particular class of oxides possessing the fluorite crystal structure should accept
radiation-induced defects into their lattices far more readily than a
structurally similar class of oxides based on the pyrochlore crystal
structure. Preliminary radiation damage experiments substantiate the
prediction that fluorites are inherently more radiation resistant than
pyrochlores. These results may permit the chemical durability and
radiation tolerance of potential hosts for actinides and radioactive
wastes to be tailored.
1 Division of Materials Science and Technology,
MS-G755, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
2 Department of Materials, Imperial College, Prince
Consort Road, London SW7 2BP, UK.
3 The Institute of
Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Mihogaoka,
Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan.
*
To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
kurt{at}lanl.gov
