Zr alloys are widely used as materials for nuclear fuel pellets in the nuclear industry. In the case of the LOCA or RIA happen, a temperature may locally reach high values. Even if the high temperature maintains shortly, the zirconium oxides may become permeable, absorb hydrogen appearing in cooling water from decomposition reaction and crack because of formation and brittle failure of hydrides. Such model cannot so far take into...

The present paper is aimed at determining the less investigated effects of hydrogen uptake on the microstructure and the mechanical behavior of the oxidized Zircaloy-2 alloy. The specimens were oxidized and charged with hydrogen. The different oxidation temperatures and cathodic current densities were applied. The scanning electron microscopy, X-ray electron diffraction spectroscopy, hydrogen absorption assessment, tensile, and...

Oxidation of zirconium alloys is a process that takes place during the operation of nuclear reactors and is essential for assessing the durability of fuel claddings. The present study was aimed to determine the oxidation kinetics of the Zircaloy-4 alloy using GDOES (glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy) at temperature 673 K corresponding to the conditions of use of fuel pellets. The tests were performed on non-oxidized...

The present research was aimed at determining the effects of the oxide layers on hydrogen absorption, microstructure and mechanical properties of the Zircaloy- 2 and Zr 702 alloys. The oxidation was made at 350 °C, 700 °C and 900 °C for 10 to 30 min in laboratory air, followed by hydrogen cathodic charging for 72 h and annealing at 400 °C for 4 h. The slow strain rate tests were carried out on oxidized, charged and annealed specimens. The...

The investigations of high-temperature oxidation of zirconium alloys, applied for fuel pellets in nuclear power plants, are usually limited to oxidation kinetics, phase transformations and microstructural characterization. The purpose of this research was to characterize the degradation phenomena occurring within oxide layer and at the interface oxide/metal, on internal and external Zircaloy-2 tube...