Study of the Effect of Doping ZrO₂ Ceramics with MgO to Increase the Resistance to Polymorphic Transformations under the Action of Irradiation

The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of doping ZrO₂ ceramics with MgO on radiation swelling and polymorphic transformations, as a result of irradiation with heavy ions. Interest in these types of materials is due to the great prospects for their use as structural materials for new-generation reactors. The study established the dependences of the phase composition formation and changes in the structural parameters following a change in the concentration of MgO. It has been established that the main mechanism for changing the structural properties of ceramics is the displacement of the cubic c-ZrO₂ phase by the Zr_0.9Mg_0.1O₂ substitution phase, which leads to an increase in the stability of ceramic properties to irradiation. It has been determined that an increase in MgO concentration leads to the formation of an impurity phase Zr_0.9Mg_0.1O₂ due to the type of substitution, resulting in changes to the structural parameters of ceramics. During studies of changes in the strength properties of irradiated ceramics, it was found that the formation of a phase in the Zr_0.9Mg_0.1O₂ structure leads to an increase in the resistance to cracking and embrittlement of the surface layers of ceramics.