Improvement of the zirconium diffusion barrier between lanthanide (La–Ce) and a clad material by hydrothermal crystallization

Hydrothermal crystallization was conducted to improve the diffusion barrier performance of Zr thin films to prevent a fuel clad chemical interaction (FCCI) at the interface between a clad material and lanthanide elements (Mischmetal: 75Ce–25La; intermetallic compound) as fission product. The crystal...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current applied physics 2013, 13(9), , pp.1995-2000
Main Authors: Jee, Seung Hyun, Lee, Kang Soo, Kim, Jun Hwan, Yoon, Young Soo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
autoclaves
Barriers
chemical interactions
Cladding
Crystallization
Diffusion
Diffusion barriers
Duplex stainless steels
Energy systems
Ferritic stainless steels
fuels
Lanthanides
Martensitic stainless steels
Mischmetal
Phase interfaces
physics
Rare-earth intermetallics
uranium
Zirconium
물리학
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Summary:Hydrothermal crystallization was conducted to improve the diffusion barrier performance of Zr thin films to prevent a fuel clad chemical interaction (FCCI) at the interface between a clad material and lanthanide elements (Mischmetal: 75Ce–25La; intermetallic compound) as fission product. The crystalline phase and size of Zr thin films deposited on a HT9 disk by RF magnetron sputtering were varied by hydrothermal crystallization in an autoclave at 393 K, 423 K and 453 K. Diffusion couple tests of the clad with and without a Zr diffusion barrier were performed at 933 K for 25 h with mischmetal, which have diffusion properties similar to uranium metal composite fuel. While substantial FCCI occurred at the interface between the mischmetal and clad in the specimen without hydrothermal crystallization, the Zr barrier with hydrothermal crystallization showed excellent resistance to FCCI. The performance of the Zr FCCI barrier was improved due to a decrease in interdiffusion by the grain boundary, which can increase the FCCI in the Zr barrier. •Hydrothermal crystallization of Zr thin films was conducted for a diffusion barrier.•Grain size effect of zirconium interdiffusion barrier to prevent FCCI was examined.•The zirconium interdiffusion barrier had excellent resistance against the FCCI.•Their performances was improved by hydrothermal crystallization.
ISSN:1567-1739
1878-1675
DOI:10.1016/j.cap.2013.08.005