No significant effect of A-site ion mass or size was seen in the temperature dependence of the critical dose for amorphization of A_2Ti_2O_7 pyrochlores, with A=Y, Sm, Gd and Lu. The room temperature dose for amorphization was found to be approx 0.18 dpa. Glancing-incidence XRD revealed that each pyrochlore underwent an irradiation induced structural transformation to fluorite prior to amorphization. In most instances, amorphization resulted in a 10-15 fold increase in the leach rates of the pyrochlores.
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