The white luminescent behavior of transparent stochiometric SiCO glasses studied by Soraru and colleagues has caught much attention. Doping these materials with select rare earth ions like neodymium can be an efficient way to increase the optical properties for IR emission. Nd3+ allows for light to be emitted in the near infrared (NIR) region. However, the absorption strength of 4f–4f transition is very weak and limited to a narrow band. The intensity of observed luminescence is strongly dependent on the bonding developed between the lanthanide ions and the local environment. The presence of an UV absorber like SiCO (500-550 nm) and TiO2 can enhance Nd3+ photoluminescence properties by increasing the emission eficiency by energy transfer. The coupling seems to be adequate for UV to NIR photon conversion. In this context, Nd2Ti2O7 material is an interesting source of Nd3+ and TiO2 for use as nanofillers in SiCO matrix. The elaboration of nanocomposite Nd2Ti2O7/SiCO could cause modification of the optical properties of each material and allow applications of Nd3+ in harsh and high temperature environment. A second nanocomposite material Nd2Zr2O7/SiBCO is studied for safe nuclear waste disposal due to the presence of borosilicate clusters in the matrix and the high radiation resistance of pyrochlore. This material presents itself as a potential application for the immobilization or transmutation of actinides. The sol-gel method is the process used for the synthesis of pre-ceramic precursors SiCO and SiBCO. Compositions, structures, and shapes can be controlled by a non-conventional method called the polymer-derived ceramics route (PDCs). In this poster, we investigate Si(B)CO-based nanocomposite materials including different Nd-based phases such as Nd2Ti2O7 and Nd2Zr2O7. We present strategies to prepare tailor-made nanocomposites. The materials are characterized at each step of their elaboration. Their application in optical field and nuclear waste storage will be discussed.

Study of nanostructured composites Nd(Ti,Zr)O/Si(B)CO for optical and nuclear waste storage application

254th National Meeting (2017)

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