Effect of swift heavy ions irradiation on AlN ceramics properties

The study of defect formation processes during the irradiation of ceramic materials by heavy ions is considerably interesting in the view of studying materials radiation resistance. The paper presents the results of the investigation the effect of irradiation with Fe7+, Ni12+ ions with an energy of 1.5 MeV/nucleon and ions Xe+22 with an energy of 1.67 MeV/nucleon on structural properties of AlN ceramics. The choice of these ions was made to study defect formation processes as a result of particles interaction with energies close to fission fragments of nuclear fuel (100-200 MeV). An assessment of the change in the main crystallographic characteristics, as well as a decrease in the magnitude of the Griffiths criterion and stresses in the lattice, indicates defect formation processes and their subsequent evolution in the structure. The decrease in the coefficient of thermal conductivity in irradiated samples is caused by an increase in defects concentration in the structure, as well as a decrease in their mobility. That leads to the formation of regions of disorder and cracks formation.