Apr. 22, 2008 A new computer simulation has revealed a self-
healing behavior in a common ceramic that may lead to
development of radiation-resistant materials for nuclear power
plants and waste storage. Researchers at the Department of
Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found that the
restless movement of oxygen atoms heals radiation-induced damage
in the engineered ceramic yttria-stabilized zirconia. Scientists
Ram Devanathan and Bill Weber modeled how well that ceramic and
other materials stand up to radiation. "If you want a material
to withstand radiation over millennia, you can't expect it to
just sit there and take it. There must be a mechanism for self-
healing," said Devanathan. "This research raises the possibility
of engineering mobile defects in ceramics to enhance radiation
tolerance," Weber said. He noted that materials capable of
handling high-radiation doses also "could improve the durability
of key equipment and reduce the costs of replacements." The
researchers approached their inv