Heat Treatment of Metals ›› 2024, Vol. 49 ›› Issue (7): 128-131.DOI: 10.13251/j.issn.0254-6051.2024.07.019

• MATERIALS RESEARCH • Previous Articles     Next Articles

High temperature-steam oxidation behavior of Zr-Sn-Nb alloy

Chen Yao, Yu Hongxing, Yang Zhongbo, Zhang Lin, Zhang Kun, Yue Huifang, Wu Zhouzhi   

  1. National Key Laboratory of Nuclear Reactor Technology, Nuclear Power Institute of China, Chengdu Sichuan 610041, China
  • Received:2024-01-30 Revised:2024-05-07 Online:2024-07-25 Published:2024-08-29

Abstract: High temperature steam oxidation tests between 600-1200 ℃ for Zr-Sn-Nb and Zr-4 alloy cladding tubes were conducted to study the effect of oxidation temperature and time on the oxidation kinetics, microstructure and oxidized film thickness. The results show that the oxidation laws of the Zr-Sn-Nb and Zr-4 alloy in high temperature steam are the same, and the oxidation rate is mainly related to temperature. The oxidation mass gain of the Zr-4 alloy is obviously higher than that of the Zr-Sn-Nb alloy after oxidation between 950-1200 ℃ for 5000 s. When the oxidation temperature is low, the matrix of the alloys is single α phase. With the increase of oxidation temperature, brittle α-Zr(O) phase is formed in the matrix. When steam oxidation at 1050 ℃ for 2500 s, the brittle α-Zr(O) phase formed in the Zr-Sn-Nb alloy is significantly less than that in the Zr-4 alloy. When the oxidation temperature is high, the oxide film of the Zr-Sn-Nb alloy is still compact and intact, while the oxide film of the Zr-4 alloy begins to appear loose and porous. At 950-1200 ℃, Zr-Sn-Nb alloy shows better high temperature oxidation resistance.

Key words: Zr-Sn-Nb alloy, Zr-4 alloy, high temperature steam oxidation, kinetic curve, oxide film, microstructure

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