Ceramic Composites Based on Zircon and Zirconium Dioxide

Ceramic composites (1 – x)ZrSiO₄–xZrO₂ with low thermal conductivity were obtained by sintering nanosized powders in the range 1000 – 1300°C in air. The fracture surface of ceramic samples was studied using electron microscopy after sintering at 1300°C; their thermal behavior, by dilatometry. The chemical resistance of the composites was evaluated by leaching in distilled water. In the future, such ceramic composites can be used as matrices for long-term environmentally safe storage and subsequent final isolation from the environment of individual isotopes of the actinide(rare-earth fraction of high-level waste (HLW).