Radiation Exposure of a Lithium Niobate Crystal at High Temperatures

Lithium niobate is being considered for use as the active element in piezoelectric transducers in a nuclear reactor. For tests in a simulation of this environment, a Y-cut disk of this material 1 cm in diameter and 0.1 cm thick was mounted in a holder designed to allow measurement of piezoelectric properties of the materials, and was exposed to 4 X 109 R of 60Co gamma rays at elevated temperatures in air. Exposure was at a dose rate of 1.75 X 107 R/h with approximately one half of the dose accumulated at 281°C and half at 537°C. The piezoelectric properties showed no changes that would affect the usefulness of the material for the intended purpose.