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200 keV electron irradiation produced no bubbles on zeolite-Y. This image was after the grain has become amorphous due to e-beam irradiation.
In contrast to many other zeolites (such as analcime and natrolite), zeolite-Y does not form bubble under strong e-beam. The absence of bubbles in irradiated zeolite-Y was attributed to the relatively large aperture size of the internal channel of the structure and the possible preservation of channels after amorphization.

Bubbles formed in analcime (a type of zeolite) under 200 keV electron irradiation at room temperature.
Bubbles are due to the release of H2O trapped within analcime. The passage with analcime structure is not large enough for fast release of H2O, thus the bubbles are formed. In contrast, zeolite-Y does not fom bubble under e-beam - due to its large channels linking the structural cavities.

Shixin Wang, Lumin Wang and Rod C. Ewing Department of Nuclear Engineering & Radiological Sciences, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.

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Presentation given at: Materials Research Society fall meeting, Boston, MA, 1998. Reference: S.X. Wang, L.M. Wang and R.C. Ewing (1999) Electron irradiation of zeolites. Microstructural Processes in Irradiated Materials, S.J. Zinkle, G.E. Lucas, R.C. Ewing and J.S. Williams, Editors, Symposium Proceedings of the Materials Research Society, vol. 540, 361-366.

Si: a=5.43 Å
Ge: a= 5.65 Å
SiC: a= 3.08 Å
AlP: a= 5.46 Å
AlAs: a= 5.66 Å
Ga: a=5.45 Å
GaAs: a= 5.65 Å
GaN: a= 4.5 Å