SPS technique for ionizing radiation source fabrication based on dense cesium-containing core

•Innovative single-step SPS technique to fabricate close type IRS is suggested.•Non-dispersible Cs-containing cores for IRS were produced using cheap zeolite raw.•SPS regimes require low temperature and short time compared to conventional methods.•Obtained cores show exceptional characteristics meeting ISO standards. The work presents a novel method for fabrication of the high-quality ionizing radiation source (IRS), which is promising to replace unsafe commercial products based on 137CsCl prohibited by IAEA. Spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique has been applied to produce dense ceramic and glass-ceramic matrixes from Cs-containing (˜13.5 wt.%) zeolite yielding in non-dispersible cores sealed in the container of radiation-resistant steel (J93503, US standard). One-stage SPS regimes to provide high-quality product have been optimized: sintering temperature