| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2025 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Microstructural, Mechanical, and Chemical Behavior of Solid Nuclear Fuel and Fuel-Cladding Interface II
|
| Presentation Title |
Tracking Structure Evolution and Alloy Element Redistributions During Zircaloy-4 Oxidation via Complementary In-Situ XRD, Ex-Situ Electron Microscopy, and Atom Probe Tomography |
| Author(s) |
Josephine Caroline Hartmann, Tamas Varga, Fu-Yun Tsai, Farhan Ishrak, Vaithiyalingam Shutthanandan, Arun Devaraj, David Senor, Bharat Gwalani, Elizabeth Kautz |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Josephine Caroline Hartmann |
| Abstract Scope |
When Zircaloy-4 is exposed to an oxidative environment, a zirconium oxide layer with varying microstructure, composition, and crystal structure forms. Alloying elements and second phase precipitates are incorporated into the oxide layer, impacting oxidation behavior. This work focuses on oxide structure evolution, and associated Sn incorporation in the oxide layer. In-situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) during Zircaloy-4 oxidation, ex-situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and atom probe tomography (APT) were performed to characterize oxide phase evolution, microstructure, and Sn incorporation into the growing oxide. In-situ XRD was performed during oxidation of a Zircaloy-4 substrate, tracking phase transformations in the growing oxide. Sn redistribution and clustering in the oxide layer was visualized via APT, revealing clusters Zr, Sn, and O rich, varying in size and composition relative to the oxide/metal interface. Understanding this phenomena aids in predictive materials capabilities, research and development of advanced nuclear reactor designs. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Nuclear Materials, |