Enhanced radiation resistance of nanocrystalline pyrochlore Gd2(Ti0.65Zr0.35)2O7

The radiation response of nanostructured materials is of great interest because of the potential of nanoscale materials design for mitigating radiation damage. We report a greatly enhanced resistance to radiation-induced amorphization in nanocrystalline Gd-2(Ti0.65Zr0.35)(2)O-7 at a particle size less than 20 nm while larger crystals with the size >100 nm are radiation sensitive. The grain size of pyrochlore, Gd-2(Ti0.65Zr0.35)(2)O-7, can be controlled by mechanical milling and subsequent thermal treatment (from 800 to 1500 degrees C), offering the possibility of designing pyrochlore materials at the nanoscale with enhanced performance for specific radiation environments.