Cation field‐strength effects on ion irradiation‐induced mechanical property changes of borosilicate glass structures

• Published in: Journal of the American Ceramic Society 2023-10, Vol.106 (10), p.5766-5780
• Main Authors: Lv, Peng, Sun, Zhao, Wang, Fugang, Yu, Yang, Yang, Fan, Yue, Shengjun, Edén, Mattias, Chen, Liang, Wang, Tieshan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 11B MAS NMR; B-11 MAS NMR; Bonding strength; Boron oxides; Borosilicate glass; Cations; composition-structure-property correlations; Field strength; Ion irradiation; Linkages; mechanical properties; Modulus of elasticity; Nanoindentation; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Radiation damage; Radiation tolerance; Radioactive wastes; Rubidium; Silicon dioxide; Sodium
• ISSN: 0002-7820; 1551-2916; 1551-2916
• DOI: 10.1111/jace.19213

We examine the impact of the glass network‐modifier cation field strength (CFS) on ion irradiation‐induced mechanical property changes in borosilicate (BS) glasses for the ternary M2O–B2O3–SiO2 systems with M = {Na, K, Rb} and the quaternary [0.5M(2)O–0.5Na2O]–B2O3–SiO2 systems with M = {Li, Na, K, Rb Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba}. 11B nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments on the as‐prepared BS glasses yielded the fractional population of four‐coordinated B species (B[4]) out of all {B[3], B[4]} groups in the glass network, along with the fraction of B[4]–O–Si linkages out of all B[4]–O–Si/B bonds. Both parameters correlated linearly with the (average) CFS of the M+ and/or {M(2)+, Na+} cations. Both the nanoindentation‐derived hardness and Young's modulus values of the glasses reduced upon their irradiation by Si2+ ions, with the property deterioration decreasing linearly with increasing Mz+ CFS, that is, for higher Mz+⋅⋅⋅O interaction strength. The irradiation damage of the glass network also increased linearly with the fraction of B[4]–O–Si linkages, which are the second weakest in the structure after the Mz+⋅⋅⋅O bonds. Our results underscore the advantages of employing BS glasses with high‐CFS cations for enhancing the radiation resistance for nuclear waste storage.