Silicon ion radiation as a viable surrogate for emulating neutron radiation damage in silicates

Nuclear power plants are aging around the world, and a precise assessment of irradiation damage in their components is needed. One key component, concrete, and specifically the silicates in its aggregates, can undergo significant expansion upon neutron radiation, which can lead to cracking and, ultimately, structural failure. However, assessing and predicting the extent of damage via neutron radiation is challenging due to reasons such as residual radioactivity and, most importantly, the high time involved. Here, we evaluate whether ion radiation can be a viable surrogate. Specifically, by employing Si²⁺ ion radiations and a comprehensive multi-modal imaging protocol, we report mineral-specific responses for key silicates such as quartz, albite, anorthite, and microcline. We find that 10 MeV Si²⁺ ions result in mineral expansions that are remarkably comparable to neutron radiation equivalent expansions (R² = 0.86, RMSE = 1.29%), opening up pathways towards rapid assessment of silicates subject to irradiation.