Influence of heavy ion irradiation on structure and properties of ceramic barium cerates

The effect of irradiation with heavy ions Ne, Ar, and Kr of various energies on the structure and properties of ceramic barium cerate doped with neodymium and annealed in air at 650°C for 7 hours is studied. It is noted that blistering was observed on cerate surface during its irradiation by low energy Ne ions, whereas it was not observed under low-energy Ar and Kr ions irradiation. Irradiation of the cerate with high energy ions caused partial amorphization of the irradiated surface of the material, while the structure of the non-irradiated surface did not change. In addition, the irradiated surface of the cerate endured solid-phase structural changes. Thus, upon high-energy ions irradiation in the range of Ne, Ar, Kr the cerate surface resembled the stages of spherulite formation - nucleation, growth (view of cauliflower) spherulitic crust, respectively. The growth of water molecules release and reduction of molecular oxygen release from the barium cerate, irradiated by high-energy ions is found during vacuum constant rate heating. It is concluded that cerates undergo changes to the distances significantly exceeding the ion ranges in these materials. Features of high-energy ions influence on thermal desorption of carbon dioxide from cerates show, apparently, the formation of weakly bound carbonate compounds on the cerate surface in the irradiation process. (authors)