Fission Fragment Recoil Effects on Zirconium Oxidation

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1962 · Journal of the Electrochemical Society

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2425370· OSTI ID:4792832

Yee, W. C.; Jenks, G. H.; Stansbury, E. E.

Fission fragment recoil effects on zirconium oxidation in pure oxygen were studied at 1 atm pressure and 250 deg C. Specimens were oxidized under the following conditions: reactor radiations including recoils, reactor radiations in the absence of recoils, and no radiation. Irradiation experiments were conducted in a maximum thermal neutron flux of 8.5 x 10¹¹ neutrons/cm ²-sec. Specimen surfaces subject to fission fragments were exposed to an estimated average recoil intensity of 6 x 10⁸ particles/cm ²-sec, the average particle energy being about 32 Mev or approximates 40% of the initial energy. It was concluded from electron and optical microscopy studies of the specimens that the normal oxide film on surfaces exposed to recoils underwent a phase transformation with fine particle size, although the possibility that the normal oxide developed a fine particle size of random orientation was not ruled out. From estimates of oxide thickness based on interference colors and from a limited amount of weight gain data, it was concluded that the oxide film on surfaces exposed to fission fragments was thicker than surfaces exposed to reactor radiation alone. The amount of corrosion as indicated by the oxide thickness and weight data was at least a factor of ten less than that expected in a solution of uranyl sulfate producing an equivalent recoil intensity. However, the data obtained do not provide sufficient information to establish the mechanism of the effects of fission fragment recoils on zirconium oxidation.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-16-010465
• OSTI ID: 4792832
• Journal Information: Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Journal Name: Journal of the Electrochemical Society Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 109; ISSN JESOAN; ISSN 0013-4651
• Publisher: The Electrochemical Society
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
COLOR
CORROSION
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
FILMS
FISSION PRODUCTS
GRAIN SIZE
IRRADIATION
MICROSCOPY
OXIDATION
OXYGEN
PARTICLES
PHASE TRANSFORMATION
RADIATIONS
RECOILS
SURFACES
THERMAL NEUTRONS
THICKNESS
WEIGHT
ZIRCONIUM
ZIRCONIUM OXIDES