THE STRUCTURE OF APERIODIC, METAMICT (CA,TH)ZRTI2O7 (ZIRCONOLITE) - AN EXAFS STUDY OF THE ZR-SITES, TH-SITES AND U-SITES

The structural environments of Zr, Th, and U in aperiodic (metamict) (Ca,Th)ZrTi2O7 were examined using Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. Samples are aperiodic due to a radiation-induced transformation caused by alpha-decay event damage. In the aperiodic samples, Zr is mainly 7-coordinated [d(Zr-O) almost-equal-to 2.14-2.17 +/- 0.02 angstrom]; whereas, Th is mainly 8-coordinated [d(Th-O) almost-equal-to 2.40-2.41 +/- 0.03 angstrom]. Nearly identical bond lengths and coordination numbers for these elements were determined for an annealed, crystalline sample. The radiation-induced transition from the periodic to the aperiodic state is characterized by a significant broadening of the distribution of (Zr,Th)-O distances. In one metamict sample with almost-equal-to 1.9 wt. % U3O8, U is essentially tetravalent. The absence of higher oxidation states (U6+) is consistent with the lack of evidence for alteration (samples are over 500 million years old). The reduced medium-range order around Zr, Th, and U is related to the increase of alpha-decay event damage and precludes decomposition of zirconolite into simple oxides of Zr, Th, or U. Comparison with other metamict (Zr, Th, U)-bearing phases (e.g., ZrSiO4 and ThSiO4) suggests that Zr4+, Th4+, and U4+ prefer 7-, 8-, and 6-coordinated sites, respectively, in aperiodic phases at ambient temperatures and pressures. Examination of the structure of crystalline (Ca, Th)ZrTi2O7 demonstrates that M-0-M angles (M = Ca, Ti, Zr, and Th) are relatively small (almost-equal-to 100-120-degrees for edge-sharing polyhedra). A limited relaxation of the constraints of periodicity around M cations caused by radiation damage (e.g., tilting of polyhedra) dramatically affects the distribution of these angles. This type of structural relaxation may be the mechanism by which long-range periodicity is lost and medium-range order is reduced with increasing radiation damage, while the major cations retain their nearest-neighbor environments. This relaxation may also help explain the lattice expansion observed in zirkelites when they undergo radiation damage.