Radiation damage effects in the uranium-bearing δ-phase oxide Y6U1O12

Ion irradiation damage effects in delta (δ) Y ₆U ₁O ₁₂ were characterized using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Experimental results revealed no amorphization transformation occurs in Kr-ion irradiated Y ₆U ₁O ₁₂ to a maximum displacement damage dose of ∼50 displacements per atom at cryogenic temperature. Density functional theory calculations indicate that δ-Y ₆U ₁O ₁₂ possesses a relatively low cation antisite formation energy, which may help to explain the observed resistance of δ-Y ₆U ₁O ₁₂ to irradiation-induced amorphization of δ-Y ₆U ₁O ₁₂.