Monazite-Type SmPO₄ as Potential Nuclear Waste Form: Insights into Radiation Effects from Ion-Beam Irradiation and Atomistic Simulations.

ABSTRACT: Single-phase monazite-type ceramics are considered as potential host matrices for the conditioning of separated plutonium and minor actinides. Sm-orthophosphates were synthesised and their behaviour under irradiation was investigated with respect to their long-term performance in the repository environment. Sintered SmPO₄ pellets and thin lamellae were irradiated with 1, 3.5, and 7 MeV Au ions, up to fluences of 5.1 × 10¹⁴ ions cm^-2 to simulate ballistic effects of recoiling nuclei resulting from α-decay of incorporated actinides. Threshold displacement energies for monazite-type SmPO₄ subsequently used in SRIM/TRIM simulations were derived from atomistic simulations. Raman spectra obtained from irradiated lamellae revealed vast amorphisat

SUBMITTER: Leys JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9146725 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature