Cation field-strength effects on ion irradiation-induced mechanical property changes of borosilicate glass structures

We examine the impact of the glass network-modifier cation field strength (CFS) on ion irradiation-induced mechanical property changes in borosilicate (BS) glasses for the ternary M2O-B2O3-SiO2 systems with M = {Na, K, Rb} and the quaternary [0.5M((2))O-0.5Na(2)O]-B2O3-SiO2 systems with M = {Li, Na, K, Rb Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba}. B-11 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments on the as-prepared BS glasses yielded the fractional population of four-coordinated B species (B-[4]) out of all {B-[3], B-[4]} groups in the glass network, along with the fraction of B-[4]-O-Si linkages out of all B-[4]-O-Si/B bonds. Both parameters correlated linearly with the (average) CFS of the M+ and/or {M(2)+, Na+} cations. Both the nanoindentation-derived hardness and Young's modulus values of the glasses reduced upon their irradiation by Si2+ ions, with the property deterioration decreasing linearly with increasing Mz+ CFS, that is, for higher Mz+center dot center dot center dot O interaction strength. The irradiation damage of the glass network also increased linearly with the fraction of B-[4]-O-Si linkages, which are the second weakest in the structure after the Mz+center dot center dot center dot O bonds. Our results underscore the advantages of employing BS glasses with high-CFS cations for enhancing the radiation resistance for nuclear waste storage.