Structural changes on the surfaces of borosilicate glasses induced by gamma-ray irradiation

Vitrification is a kind of glass that can solidify high-level radioactive waste (HLW). As the basic material of vitrification, borosilicate glass was studied extensively. To keep HLW away from the biosphere, the tolerance of borosilicate glass to irradiation is important. In this work, various samples of borosilicate glass with different compositions were irradiated with gamma rays at ambient temperature to study their stability. The hardness, moduli, and microscopic changes on surfaces of the borosilicate glasses were measured at specific absorbed doses. Upon the gamma irradiation, the structural changes on surfaces of borosilicate glasses were identified, which were strongly influenced by the composition of borosilicate glasses. The results demonstrate that gamma irradiation, as well as beta irradiation, might strongly influence the properties of vitrification. The irradiation effects on vitrification induced by gamma irradiation should be paid more attention to than before.