Irradiation damage in lithium ceramics

• Published in: Journal of nuclear materials 1985-01, Vol.133, p.230-233
• Main Authors: Auvray-Gély, M.H., Dunlop, A., Hobbs, L.W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Controled nuclear fusion plants; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Other techniques and industries
• ISSN: 0022-3115; 1873-4820
• DOI: 10.1016/0022-3115(85)90140-0

The irradiation response of two candidate tritium-breeding materials, LiAlO 2 and Li 2ZrO 3, was investigated using electron irradiation to produce atomic displacements, and EPR and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to detect damage responses. In a first set of experiments, single crystals and sintered polycrystals of γ-LiAlO 2 were irradiated with 2.5 MeV electrons at a temperature of 20 K. EPR measurements made at 4 K on samples kept at 77 K after electron irradiation confirm that paramagnetic defects are created during irradiation, and that most of these defects disappear at about 100 K. TEM observations at room temperature indicate, however, that annealing of these defects does not result in visible defect aggregates. In a second set of experiments, sintered polycrystalline LiAlO 2 and Li 2ZrO 3 samples were thinned to electron transparency and heavily irradiated in situ with 200 keV electrons. In LiAlO 2, laths of LiAl 5O 8 grew intragranularly under irradiation. Li 2ZrO 3 showed little or no aggregate damage after extensive irradiation near room temperature.