Partially disordered pyrochlore: time-temperature dependence of recrystallization and dehydration

Abstract The comparison of the evolution of the mechanical properties (elastic modulus and hardness) after step-wise thermal annealing for 1 and 16 h up to 900 K of a radiation-damaged pyrochlore (∼35% amorphous fraction; 1.8 wt% ThO2) provides insights to the time-temperature dependence of the recrystallization behavior. Especially the elastic modulus, directly related to interatomic bonding, enables the correlation with the amount of amorphous fraction. From this a pronounced effect of the annealing time on percolation behavior could be deduced. Evolved gas analysis indicate dehydration in the course of the structural reorganization process.