The Influence of Oxidizing Medium on Structure, Mechanical Properties, and Breakage Pattern of Oxide Films of Zr—1% Nb Alloy under Conditions Simulating Oxidizing Media of WWER and PWR Reactors

This article investigates into the structure, phase composition, mechanical properties, and breakage pattern of oxide films formed on the surface of Zr—1% Nb alloy after corrosion tests in autoclave in water, steam, and water with lithium. Oxidation in water with lithium promotes formation of oxide films with a thickness of more than 100 μm, and, after oxidation in water or steam, the thickness is 5–15 μm. Upon oxidation in water, oxide films are generated with laminar structure: in the substrate, the grains are extended with the thickness of ~80 nm, near film surface the grains are equiaxial with the diameter of ~30 nm. After holding of the specimens in steam the oxide films are comprised mainly extended grains with the thickness of ~95 nm with a minor amount of equiaxial grains, 10%, with a diameter of ~30 nm, after oxidation in water with lithium the mixture of equiaxial and weakly extended nanograins is observed in the film structure. Upon loading of specimens with the structure of equiaxial and weakly extended grains the oxide films are broken due to generation of transversal cracks propagating to basic metal. The oxide films with laminar structure oxidized in water are broken due to exfoliation along the interface between the layers of extended and equiaxial grains. Breakage of films with the structure of equiaxial and weakly extended grains starts at the stage of elastic deformation at a stress of 300 MPa. The highest breakage stresses of 1150 MPa are characteristic for alloy specimens oxidized in steam. Breakage of films with laminar structure after oxidation in water occurs at average stresses of 798 MPa. The cohesive/adhesive strengths of films oxidized in water and steam are nearly the same. In thick alloys, oxide films oxidized in water with lithium, substrate does not open even at loading of 100 N. According to data of Raman spectroscopy, oxide film is mainly comprised of monoclinic phase of zirconium oxide; however, after oxidation in steam at the metal—film interface, a barrier layer of tetragonal phase of zirconium dioxide has been detected that prevents accelerated oxidation.