THE RESISTANCE OF ZIRCONIUM AND ITS ALLOYS TO HIGH TEMPERATURE WATER
Corrosion tests of binary and ternary alloys of Zr and of Zircaloy-2 in demineralized water at 325 deg C are described. In binary alloys Sn, Nb, and Ta in amounts up to 5 wt.% reduce corrosion rates but do not prevent breaking'', i.e., the change from a rate which falls with time to a constant but higher rate. Tin is a more effective addition than either Ta or Nb. Breakaway is delayed by the further addition to Sn alloys of Fe, Ni, or Cr singly or in combination in amounts up to about 0.5 wt.%. In binary alloys containing 0.5 wt.% of Sn ternary additions of Cr lare less effective than Fe or Ni. It is concluded that the function of Sn is to counter the harmful effect of N in the metal and that, although Fe, Ni, and Cr have not this power, good corrosion resistance requires their presence to prevent breakaway. Preliminnry experiments show that the latter may be induced by making the specimen a cathode during exposure to water at 325 deg C. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. Research Group. Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell, Berks, England
- NSA Number:
- NSA-12-004810
- OSTI ID:
- 4341007
- Report Number(s):
- AERE-M/R-1924(Del.)
- Country of Publication:
- United Kingdom
- Language:
- English
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