Zirconolite (CaZrTi2O7) is an important phase proposed for immobilization of plutonium. Radiation effects in zirconolite were studied by 1 MeV Kr+ and 1.5 MeV Xe+ irradiation at various temperatures. Zirconolite became amorphous at temperatures below a critical temperature, Tc. The critical temperature was found to be a function of ion species: Tc - 654 K for 1 MeV Kr+ and 710 K for 1.5 MeV Xe+. The temperature dependence of amorphization dose is shown in FIG. 1. Above Tc, the specimen remained crystalline after prolonged irradiation (up to 3.6×l015 ions/cm2). However, the high-temperature irradiated zirconolite was transformed into the fluorite structure (as shown by the strong diffraction maxima in FIG. 2). In addition to the maxima from the fluorite structure, strong diffuse maxima were observed surrounding the Bragg position of pyrochlore superlattice (FIG. 2).
Mathematical model of high-temperature melt flow with account for short-range order nature