Chemical evolution via beta decay: a case study in strontium-90
Using 90Sr as a representative isotope, we present a framework for understanding beta decay within the solid state. We quantify three key physical and chemical principles, namely momentum-induced recoil during the decay event, defect creation due to physical displacement, and chemical evolution over...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Institute of Physics Publishing Ltd.
2013
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/20350 |
| _version_ | 1848750281350709248 |
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| author | Marks, Nigel Carter, Damien Sassi, Michel Rohl, Andrew Sickafus, K. Uberuaga, B. Stanek, C. |
| author_facet | Marks, Nigel Carter, Damien Sassi, Michel Rohl, Andrew Sickafus, K. Uberuaga, B. Stanek, C. |
| author_sort | Marks, Nigel |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Using 90Sr as a representative isotope, we present a framework for understanding beta decay within the solid state. We quantify three key physical and chemical principles, namely momentum-induced recoil during the decay event, defect creation due to physical displacement, and chemical evolution over time. A fourth effect, that of electronic excitation, is also discussed, but this is difficult to quantify and is strongly material dependent. The analysis is presented for the specific cases of SrTiO3 and SrH2. By comparing the recoil energy with available threshold displacement data we show that in many beta-decay situations defects such as Frenkel pairs will not be created during decay as the energy transfer is too low. This observation leads to the concept of chemical evolution over time, which we quantify using density functional theory. Using a combination of Bader analysis, phonon calculations and cohesive energy calculations, we show that beta decay leads to counter-intuitive behaviour that has implications for nuclear waste storage and novel materials design. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:34:20Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-20350 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:34:20Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publisher | Institute of Physics Publishing Ltd. |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-203502017-09-13T16:01:25Z Chemical evolution via beta decay: a case study in strontium-90 Marks, Nigel Carter, Damien Sassi, Michel Rohl, Andrew Sickafus, K. Uberuaga, B. Stanek, C. Using 90Sr as a representative isotope, we present a framework for understanding beta decay within the solid state. We quantify three key physical and chemical principles, namely momentum-induced recoil during the decay event, defect creation due to physical displacement, and chemical evolution over time. A fourth effect, that of electronic excitation, is also discussed, but this is difficult to quantify and is strongly material dependent. The analysis is presented for the specific cases of SrTiO3 and SrH2. By comparing the recoil energy with available threshold displacement data we show that in many beta-decay situations defects such as Frenkel pairs will not be created during decay as the energy transfer is too low. This observation leads to the concept of chemical evolution over time, which we quantify using density functional theory. Using a combination of Bader analysis, phonon calculations and cohesive energy calculations, we show that beta decay leads to counter-intuitive behaviour that has implications for nuclear waste storage and novel materials design. 2013 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/20350 10.1088/0953-8984/25/6/065504 Institute of Physics Publishing Ltd. fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Marks, Nigel Carter, Damien Sassi, Michel Rohl, Andrew Sickafus, K. Uberuaga, B. Stanek, C. Chemical evolution via beta decay: a case study in strontium-90 |
| title | Chemical evolution via beta decay: a case study in strontium-90 |
| title_full | Chemical evolution via beta decay: a case study in strontium-90 |
| title_fullStr | Chemical evolution via beta decay: a case study in strontium-90 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Chemical evolution via beta decay: a case study in strontium-90 |
| title_short | Chemical evolution via beta decay: a case study in strontium-90 |
| title_sort | chemical evolution via beta decay: a case study in strontium-90 |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/20350 |