Adhesion property and high-temperature oxidation behavior of Cr-coated Zircaloy-4 cladding tube prepared by 3D laser coating

• Published in: Journal of nuclear materials Vol. 465; pp. 531 - 539
• Main Authors: Kim, Hyun-Gil, Kim, Il-Hyun, Jung, Yang-Il, Park, Dong-Jun, Park, Jeong-Yong, Koo, Yang-Hyun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.10.2015
• Subjects: 3D laser coating; Accident tolerance fuel; Adhesion; Alloys; Cladding; Coating; Fuel cladding; High temperature oxidation; Oxidation; Steam electric power generation; Three dimensional; Tubes; Zirconium base alloys; Fuel cladding; Accident tolerance fuel; 3D laser coating; Adhesion; High temperature oxidation
• ISSN: 0022-3115; 1873-4820
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.06.030

A 3D laser coating technology using Cr powder was developed for Zr-based alloys considering parameters such as: the laser beam power, inert gas flow, cooling of Zr-based alloys, and Cr powder control. This technology was then applied to Zr cladding tube samples to study the effect of Cr coating on the high-temperature oxidation of Zr-based alloys in a steam environment of 1200 °C for 2000s. It was revealed that the oxide layer thickness formed on the Cr-coated tube surface was about 25-times lower than that formed on a Zircaloy-4 tube surface. In addition, both the ring compression and the tensile tests were performed to evaluate the adhesion properties of the Cr-coated sample. Although some cracks were formed on the Cr-coated layer, the Cr-coated layer had not peeled off after the two tests.