Evolution of nuclear glass structure under alpha-irradiation

Citation
A. Abbas et al., Evolution of nuclear glass structure under alpha-irradiation, NUCL INST B, 166, 2000, pp. 445-450
Citations number
24
Categorie Soggetti
Spectroscopy /Instrumentation/Analytical Sciences","Instrumentation & Measurement
Journal title
NUCLEAR INSTRUMENTS & METHODS IN PHYSICS RESEARCH SECTION B-BEAM INTERACTIONS WITH MATERIALS AND ATOMS
ISSN journal
0168583X → ACNP
Volume
166
Year of publication
2000
Pages
445 - 450
Database
ISI
SICI code
0168-583X(200005)166:<445:EONGSU>2.0.ZU;2-W
Abstract
The French nuclear glass is intended for the long-time storage of high-leve l nuclear wastes. The disintegration of radioelements induces modifications of the glass structure which could deteriorate the efficiency of the confi nement. We have focused our study on the effects from x-decay processes (al pha particles and recoil nuclei) in two simplified alumino-borosilicate gla sses which contain the major constituents of French light water containment glass. The alpha-decay processes were simulated by external irradiations a t room temperature with 1.0 MeV He+ or 2.1 MeV Kr3+ so as to exhibit the di fferences between effects produced by ct particles and by recoil nuclei. Mi cro-Raman spectroscopy has been used to investigate the evolution of the gl ass under rx-irradiation at a microstructural level through modifications o f the network vibration bands. We have used nanoindentation to show the cha nges in macroscopic properties and the Molecular Dynamics (MD) method to ob serve the effect of a cascade at the atomic scale. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scienc e B.V. All rights reserved.