THE OXIDATION AND CORROSION OF ZIRCONIUM AND ITS ALLOYS. XV. FURTHER STUDIES OF ZIRCONIUM-NIOBIUM ALLOYS

Technical Report · Wed Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1962

OSTI ID:4775807

Cox, B; Chadd, P G; Short, J F

The oxidation resistance of binary and ternary zirconium alloys containing 0.5 to 5 wt% niobium and ternary additions of Sn, Cu, W, Mo, Sb, V, Ge, Pd, Pt, Fe, and Mn was studied in steam and air. The lowest oxidation rate was achieved with a Zr--1% Nb--1% Cu alloy. A study of the effect of heat treatment on the alloys showed that either a 24 hour anneal at 580 deg C, or cold-working of the material will result in good oxidation resistance. Some alloys containing high percentages of niobium (20-60 wt%) were examined. All the alloys were susceptible to non-uniform oxidation at long times, leading (in some instances) to cracking of the specimen. Such alloys are not considered reliable for use as structural materials involving long exposures to high temperature water or steam. The rate of hydrogen absorption by alloys containing small additions of niobium was very much less than that found for Zircaloy-2. (auth)

• Research Organization: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. Research Group. Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell, Berks, England
• NSA Number: NSA-16-032078
• OSTI ID: 4775807
• Report Number(s): AERE-R-4134
• Country of Publication: United Kingdom
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ADSORPTION
AIR
ANNEALING
ANTIMONY ALLOYS
COLD WORKING
COPPER ALLOYS
CORROSION
CRACKS
EFFICIENCY
GERMANIUM ALLOYS
HEAT TREATMENTS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HYDROGEN
IRON ALLOYS
MANGANESE ALLOYS
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
NIOBIUM ALLOYS
OXIDATION
PALLADIUM ALLOYS
PLATINUM ALLOYS
STABILITY
STEAM
TIN ALLOYS
TUNGSTEN ALLOYS
VANADIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCALOY
ZIRCONIUM
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS