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Anisotropic mechanical properties of zircon and the effect of radiation damage

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Abstract

This study provides new insights into the relationship between radiation-dose-dependent structural damage due to natural U and Th impurities and the anisotropic mechanical properties (Poisson’s ratio, elastic modulus and hardness) of zircon. Natural zircon samples from Sri Lanka (see Muarakami et al. in Am Mineral 76:1510–1532, 1991) and synthetic samples, covering a dose range of zero up to 6.8 × 1018 α-decays/g, have been studied by nanoindentation. Measurements along the [100] crystallographic direction and calculations, based on elastic stiffness constants determined by Özkan (J Appl Phys 47:4772–4779, 1976), revealed a general radiation-induced decrease in stiffness (~54 %) and hardness (~48 %) and an increase in the Poisson’s ratio (~54 %) with increasing dose. Additional indentations on selected samples along the [001] allowed one to follow the amorphization process to the point that the mechanical properties are isotropic. This work shows that the radiation-dose-dependent changes of the mechanical properties of zircon can be directly correlated with the amorphous fraction as determined by previous investigations with local and global probes (Ríos et al. in J Phys Condens Matter 12:2401–2412, 2000a; Farnan and Salje in J Appl Phys 89:2084–2090, 2001; Zhang and Salje in J Phys Condens Matter 13:3057–3071, 2001). The excellent agreement, revealed by the different methods, indicates a large influence of structural and even local phenomena on the macroscopic mechanical properties. Therefore, this study indicates the importance of acquiring better knowledge about the mechanical long-term stability of radiation-damaged materials.

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Acknowledgments

The work leading to this publication was supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with funds from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under REA Grant Agreement No. 605728 (P.R.I.M.E.—Postdoctoral Researchers International Mobility Experience). Financial support by the University of Hamburg is gratefully acknowledged. Research at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory for one author (LAB) was supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences and Engineering Division. The constructive comments and helpful suggestions of L.A. Groat and an anonymous reviewer are gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305-2115, USA

    Tobias Beirau & Rodney C. Ewing

  2. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Hamburg, 20146, Hamburg, Germany

    Tobias Beirau & Ulrich Bismayer

  3. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305-4034, USA

    William D. Nix & Scott G. Isaacson

  4. Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA

    Lynn A. Boatner

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  1. Tobias Beirau
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Correspondence to Tobias Beirau.

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Beirau, T., Nix, W.D., Bismayer, U. et al. Anisotropic mechanical properties of zircon and the effect of radiation damage. Phys Chem Minerals 43, 627–638 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00269-016-0822-9

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