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3D Visualisation of Crack Distributions in Oxidised Zirconium Alloys by FIB-Slicing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2012

Chris R. M. Grovenor ,
Na Ni ,
Sean S. Yardley ,
Gareth Hughes ,
Sergio Lozano-Perez  and
John M. Sykes
Chris R. M. Grovenor
Affiliation:
Department of Materials, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Na Ni
Affiliation:
Department of Materials, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom.
Sean S. Yardley
Affiliation:
Department of Materials, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Gareth Hughes
Affiliation:
Department of Materials, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Sergio Lozano-Perez
Affiliation:
Department of Materials, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom.
John M. Sykes
Affiliation:
Department of Materials, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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Abstract

Zirconium alloys have been used as fuel cladding and structural fuel assembly components in nuclear reactors since the 1950s, and show a characteristic variation in oxidation rate and layered crack morphology during aqueous corrosion. It is common to associate the first phenomenon with the appearance of the second. We have used 3D serial sectioning to study the morphology and distribution of cracks in corroded ZIRLO samples at different stages of oxidation, and have shown that cracks nucleate and grow at all stages of the oxidation process not just at the kinetic transition. We have used this data to analyse the nucleation of cracks with reference to the shape of the oxide/metal interface and the distribution of second phase precipitates.

Keywords

Zroxidationnuclear materials
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1421: Symposium PP – Three-Dimensional Tomography of Materials , 2012 , mrsf11-1421-pp01-08
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2012

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References

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