Investigation of Swift Heavy Ion Irradiation on Gd2Zr2O7 Pyrochlore

Complex oxides offer distinct advantages for immobilizing radioactive waste. Here, we delve into the deviations in the structure of Gd2Zr2O7 (GZO) ceramics against the irradiation of iodine ions having 100 MeV energy. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy have been exercised to observe the structural changes. XRD analysis reveals that with increasing ion fluence, the suppression or disappearance of superstructure reflections occurs, indicating a pyrochlore to defect fluorite structure transformation. Raman spectra further confirm the change in vibrational mode in GZO, which strongly rely degree of disorder as fluence is enhanced. XRD and Raman techniques provide consistent insights into the structural changes induced by swift heavy ion irradiation (100 MeV I⁷⁺). Notably, no amorphization has been observed, highlighting the robustness of Gd2Zr2O7 ceramics for potential nuclear applications in extreme environments.