The Initial Corrosion Behavior of Zr-0.75Sn-0.35Fe-0.15Cr Alloy in Deionized Water at 250 ℃
YAO Meiyi1,2(),ZHANG Xingwang1,2,HOU Keke1,2,ZHANG Jinlong1,2,HU Pengfei1,2,PENG Jianchao1,2,ZHOU Bangxin1,2
1. Institute of Materials, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072, China 2. Laboratory for Microstructures, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
Cite this article:
YAO Meiyi,ZHANG Xingwang,HOU Keke,ZHANG Jinlong,HU Pengfei,PENG Jianchao,ZHOU Bangxin. The Initial Corrosion Behavior of Zr-0.75Sn-0.35Fe-0.15Cr Alloy in Deionized Water at 250 ℃. Acta Metall Sin, 2020, 56(2): 221-230.
Zirconium alloys are important structural materials in pressurized water reactors. During actual operation, the corrosion resistance of water side is the most important factor affecting its service life. The oxide film of zirconium alloys formed during the corrosion process will reduce the heat transfer performance, mechanical properties and service life of the cladding material, thus becoming a factor restricting the development of nuclear power. The initial phase composition and the defect state in the crystal affect the microstructural evolution of the oxide film during the corrosion process, which in turn determines the late growth of the oxide film. In order to study the phase composition and crystal structure evolution of zirconium alloys from the initial oxidation to the formation of ZrO2, the initial corrosion behavior of Zr-0.75Sn-0.35Fe-0.15Cr alloy was studied by using TEM thin foil specimens with coarse grains. The oxygen content varied due to the change of sample thickness at different distances along the perforation of TEM thin foil specimens with coarse grains, which could be investigated the crystal structure evolution of oxide film with the variation of oxygen content. Corrosion tests of these TEM specimens were conducted in an autoclave at 250 ℃ and 3 MPa in deionized water for short time exposure. The results showed a variation of the crystal structure along with the increase of oxygen contents at the initial oxidation stage. When the Zr/O atomic ratio reached 5~7, a commensurable long period super-lattice structure was formed. The lattice constants of the super-lattice (a, c) and α-Zr matrix (a0, c0) satisfied the relationship of a=9a0 and c=2c0, which was called 9a0-2H structure. When the Zr/O atomic ratio reached 3 and 1, sub-oxides Zr3O with hcp and ZrO with fcc ordered structures were formed, respectively. When the Zr/O atomic ratio was 0.85, monoclinic ZrO2 was detected.
Fig.1 OM (a) and TEM (b) images of Zr-0.75Sn-0.35Fe-0.15Cr alloy with coarse grains before corrosion (Inset in Fig.1b shows the SAED pattern)
Fig.2 TEM images of Zr-0.75Sn-0.35Fe-0.15Cr alloy coarse-grained specimen corroded in deionized water at 250 ℃ and 3 MPa for a short time exposure obtained per 500 nm from thick to thin along the diameter of the hole within one grain (a~i)
Fig.3 SAED patterns corresponding to points 1~9 in Figs.2a~i (a~i), respectively
Point
Atomic fraction of Zr / %
Atomic fraction of O / %
Zr/O ratio
1
91.20
6.96
13.11
2
85.56
14.01
6.11
3
83.56
16.21
5.15
4
82.98
17.35
4.78
5
79.48
20.46
3.88
6
74.64
24.11
3.10
7
66.34
32.28
2.06
8
56.25
43.75
1.29
9
45.34
53.04
0.85
Table 1 EDS analyses of points 1~9 in Fig.2
Fig.4 TEM image (a), SAED pattern of square area in Fig.4a (b), HRTEM image (c) and FFT image of square area in Fig.4c (d) of point 9 in Fig.2i
Fig.5 Analyses of the super-lattice structure formed in the area with the Zr/O atomic ratio 5~7(a~c) SAED patterns obtained by tilting specimen holder to the incident beam parallel to crystal orientation [0001], [110] and [0], respectively (The dotted circles in Figs.5a and b shows weak diffraction spots appeared on the sides of the main diffraction spots of α-Zr matrix in the SAED pattern along a certain crystal direction)(d, e) schematic illustrations showing the atomic arrangement and the diffraction intensity of such ordered structure (Z—different heights at which the atoms are located, a—lattice constant)
Fig.6 TEM image (a) and SAED patterns of superstructure (b, c) formed at a Zr/O ratio of 3.10 (point 6 in Fig.2f)
Fig.7 TEM image (a) and SAED patterns of superstructure (b, c) formed with the Zr/O ratio of 1.29 (point 8 in Fig.2h)
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