FROM LIQUID TO SOLID - RESIDUAL DISORDER IN THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT OF OXYGEN-COORDINATED ZIRCONIUM

X-ray absorption is used as a chemically specific structural probe to investigate the short-range order around zirconium cations in various crystallized, amorphous, or vitreous systems containing oxygen-coordin ated zirconium in order to connect it to the disorder in the environme nt of this cation in the liquid solution from which they are produced. The comparison of the various analyses gives detailed information on the local structure around the zirconium atoms. The type and the level of randomness is discussed. The radial distribution functions of the various samples with disordered structure are compared with the corres ponding crystalline functions. The effects of disorder on the first tw o coordination shells are derived for these samples.