Evaluation of threshold conditions for latent track formation in nanocrystalline Y2Ti2O7

Abstract

We present the first report on the structural effects induced by swift xenon ions in nanocrystalline pyrochlore Y 2 Ti 2 O 7 (outside the metal matrix) studied using high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Latent amorphous tracks were observed in the range of electronic stopping powers 4.8-23.2 keV/nm. Obtained results enabled estimation of the threshold energy loss values for formation of continuous and not continuous (surface) tracks at ≈ 8 keV/nm and 3.5 keV/nm, respectively.

Transmission Electron Microscopy and Molecular Dynamic Study of Ion Tracks in Nanocrystalline Y2Ti2O7: Particle Size Effect on Track Formation Threshold

“…To date, there are almost no published data on tracks in yttrium titanate except [22] and [32]. In [22], tracks were studied in polycrystalline Y 2 Ti 2 O 7 irradiated with 2.2 GeV 197 Au ions (S e = 35.7 ± 0.9 keV/nm) by XRD.…”

“…The threshold ionizing energy loss for track formation in oxide nanoparticles in EP450 steel was in the range S th ~7.4-9.7 keV/nm [9]. The first results on isolated Y 2 Ti 2 O 7 NPs were reported in [32], and focused on the morphology of latent tracks induced by high-energy xenon ions at non-overlapping ion fluences in the range of specific ionization energy losses S e from 2 keV/nm to 23 keV/nm. It was found that diameters of tracks in particles embedded in a metallic matrix are systematically lower than those observed at the same electronic stopping powers in isolated NPs.…”

“…Y-Ti-O based pyrochlores are considered as candidate nuclear materials and thus a thorough understanding of their radiation tolerance is required [9,[20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30]. Tracks have been observed in SHI irradiated Y 2 Ti 2 O 7 nanoparticles in oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels [9,26,30,31] as well as in isolated NPs [32]. The threshold ionizing energy loss for track formation in oxide nanoparticles in EP450 steel was in the range S th ~7.4-9.7 keV/nm [9].…”