Phase transformation of polycrystalline zirconia induced by swift heavy ion irradiation

• Published in: Journal of nuclear materials 2001-05, Vol.295 (1), p.121-125
• Main Authors: Gibert-Mougel, C, Couvreur, F, Costantini, J.M, Bouffard, S, Levesque, F, Hémon, S, Paumier, E, Dufour, C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy
• ISSN: 0022-3115; 1873-4820
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-3115(01)00506-2

Polycrystalline samples of monoclinic zirconia (α-ZrO 2) have been irradiated at room temperature with 190 MeV 36Ar and 170 MeV 84Kr ions in the electronic slowing down regime. Room-temperature X-ray diffraction (XRD) and micro-Raman spectroscopy measurements show consistently that a phase transition to the tetragonal form (β-ZrO 2) occurs for 170 MeV 84Kr ion irradiation above an electronic stopping power value around 15 MeV μm −1. The kinetics of the transition were monitored by on-line XRD measurements on the same sample. No such phase transformation is seen with 190 MeV 36Ar ion irradiation for an electronic stopping power value around 6 MeV μm −1. The plot of the tetragonal phase fraction deduced from XRD measurements vs fluence is analysed with single-impact and double-impact kinetic models. The data seem to be in favour of a double ion impact process.