Surface analysis of Zircaloy-2 implanted with carbon before and after oxidation in air at 500 deg. C

Journal Article · Wed Mar 15 04:00:00 EST 2006 · Materials Characterization

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchar.2005.09.016· OSTI ID:20833190

Peng, D Q ^[1]; Bai, X D ^[1]; Pan, F ^[1]; Sun, H ^[1]; Chen, B S ^[2]

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1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 (China)
2. Jianzhong Chemical Cooperation, Yibin, 644000 (China)

Zircaloy-2 specimens were implanted with carbon ions in the fluence range from 1 x 10{sup 16} to 1 x 10{sup 18} ions/cm{sup 2}, using a MEVVA source at an extraction voltage of 40 kV at a maximum temperature of 380 deg. C. The valences and depth profiles of elements in the implanted surface of Zircaloy-2 were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the micro-morphology of samples. The color of the oxidized samples was checked with an optical scanner. Glancing-angle X-ray diffraction at 0.3{sup o} incident angles was employed to examine the phase transformations of implanted samples before and after oxidation in the air at 500 deg. C for 2 h. Before oxidation, at fluences less than 5 x 10{sup 16} ions/cm{sup 2}, hexagonal zirconia (H-ZrO{sub 0.35}) was present. At a fluence of 1 x 10{sup 17} ions/cm{sup 2}, rhombohedral zirconia (R-Zr{sub 3}O) appeared. When the fluence reached 1 x 10{sup 18} ions/cm{sup 2}, cubic zirconium carbide was produced. There are many pits, both deep and shallow, in the sample surfaces, both prior to oxidation and after oxidation. Oxidation in the air at 500 deg. C gave rise to black surfaces on all samples. The X-ray diffraction results showed that monoclinic and tetragonal zirconia were present in the surface of as-received sample. For implanted samples, monoclinic and tetragonal zirconia are still present, while cubic zirconium carbide is produced at all fluences. The presence of ZrC is attributed to the high-temperature, long-time (2 h) exposure.

• OSTI ID: 20833190
• Journal Information: Materials Characterization, Journal Name: Materials Characterization Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 56; ISSN 1044-5803; ISSN MACHEX
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
AUGER ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
CARBON
CARBON IONS
MONOCLINIC LATTICES
MORPHOLOGY
OXIDATION
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SURFACES
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0400-1000 K
TETRAGONAL LATTICES
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ZIRCALOY 2
ZIRCONIUM OXIDES