Optical properties degradation of wollastonite powders under the electron irradiation in vacuum

• Published in: Optical materials 2021-09, Vol.119, p.111342, Article 111342
• Main Authors: Mikhailov, M.M., Yuryev, S.A., Lapin, A.N., Koroleva, E. Yu, Goronchko, V.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Irradiation; Powders; Radiation stability; Reflectance spectra; Wollastonite
• ISSN: 0925-3467; 1873-1252
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2021.111342

The study on grain size distribution, phase composition, diffuse-reflectance spectra (ρλ), and integral absorption coefficient has been provided. In addition, the properties of wollastonite powders were examined after the irradiation with 30 keV electrons with recording ρλ spectra before and after each irradiation period in vacuum at the irradiation site (in situ). High powder reflectance has been determined, which provides a small value of absorption coefficient (аs = 0.11). It has been shown that optical properties degradation is determined mainly by UV radiation absorbing defects, the most probable among them being anionic vacancies. ρλ spectra are modified to a smaller extent while irradiating in the visible spectrum. The powder under analysis exceeds titanium dioxide powders, which are widely used as pigments for dyes and spacecraft reflective coatings, by the value of initial optical properties and their post-irradiation changes. •Optical properties of natural wollastonite powder have been investigated.•Wollastonite was irradiated with 30 keV electrons.•The absorption in solar spectrum for wollastonite is smaller than that for widely used TiO2 and ZnO powders.•High radiation stability in comparison with TiO2 powder has been established.