This study deals with the solid state synthesis of neodymium zirconates, doped with ytterbium, with the chemical formulas of: (Yb x Nd 1-x) 2 Zr 2 O 7 , (x = 0.1, 0.25 and 0.4). These materials are proposed as high-level radioactive waste confinement materials. Neodymium is employed as an actinide surrogate. The synthesis process consists in successive calcination steps at: 600, 1,200, 1,300 and 1,400 °C. The end-products have a sintered density of 6,368, 6,543 and 6,674 kg/m 3 , for: (Yb 0.1 Nd 0.9) 2 Zr 2 O 7 , (Yb 0.25 Nd 0.75) 2 Zr 2 O 7 and (Yb 0.4 Nd 0.6) 2 Zr 2 O 7 , respectively. The pyrochlores X-ray diffraction patterns of an fcc pyrochlore type lattice: Fd-3m, have been identified. The differential thermal analysis of these zirconates confirms there thermal stability. The materials do not show any phase transition against heating, until 1,650 °C, and under cooling. For the whole, the measured microhardnesses (< 120 HV) and fracture toughness' (< 1.57 × 10 6 N/m 2) reveal a brittle mechanical behaviour of the studied pyrochlores.
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