Crystallographic changes in lead zirconate titanate due to neutron irradiation

Journal Article · Sat Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2014 · AIP Advances

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4902179· OSTI ID:22420164

Henriques, Alexandra ^[1]; Graham, Joseph T. ^[2]; Landsberger, Sheldon ^[3]; Ihlefeld, Jon F.; Brennecka, Geoff L. ^[4]; Brown, Donald W. ^[5]; Forrester, Jennifer S.

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1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 (United States)
2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 (United States)
3. Nuclear Engineering Teaching Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States)
4. Electronic, Optical, and Nanomaterials Department, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States)
5. Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87185 (United States)

Piezoelectric and ferroelectric materials are useful as the active element in non-destructive monitoring devices for high-radiation areas. Here, crystallographic structural refinement (i.e., the Rietveld method) is used to quantify the type and extent of structural changes in PbZr{sub 0.5}Ti{sub 0.5}O{sub 3} after exposure to a 1 MeV equivalent neutron fluence of 1.7 × 10{sup 15} neutrons/cm{sup 2}. The results show a measurable decrease in the occupancy of Pb and O due to irradiation, with O vacancies in the tetragonal phase being created preferentially on one of the two O sites. The results demonstrate a method by which the effects of radiation on crystallographic structure may be investigated.

• OSTI ID: 22420164
• Journal Information: AIP Advances, Vol. 4, Issue 11; Other Information: (c) 2014 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2158-3226
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CRYSTALLOGRAPHY
FERROELECTRIC MATERIALS
IRRADIATION
MONITORING
NEUTRON FLUENCE
NEUTRONS
PIEZOELECTRICITY
PZT