Structural analysis of a completely amorphous {sup 238}Pu-doped zircon by neutron diffraction.

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:917643

Fortner, J A; Badyal, Y; Price, D C; Hanchar, J M; Weber, W J; PNNL,

The structure of a completely amorphous zircon was determined by time-of-flight neutron diffraction at Argonne's Intense Pulsed Neutron Source (IPNS). The sample of metamict zircon (ZrSiO{sub 4}), initially doped to 8.85 weight percent {sup 238}Pu, had been completely amorphized by alpha-recoil damage since its synthesis in 1981 at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The measured diffraction structure factor, S(Q), indicated a completely amorphous sample, with no signs of residual zircon microcrystallinity. The pair distribution function obtained indicated that the structure was that of an oxide glass, retaining the Si-0, Zr-0, and O-O bond lengths of crystalline zircon.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
• Sponsoring Organization: SC
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 917643
• Report Number(s): ANL/MSD/CP-99831
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: ENGLISH

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
AMORPHOUS STATE
DOPED MATERIALS
NEUTRON DIFFRACTION
PLUTONIUM 238
STRUCTURE FACTORS
ZIRCON