Abstract
Modified Zr–1Nb alloys with Ta additions is a potential strategy to improve structural alloys for nuclear reactors. The effects of Ta on microstructural stability and resistance to corrosion of Zr–1Nb alloys were systematically investigated and elucidated. The (α+ β) microstructure in Zr–1.05Nb, Zr–0.85Nb–0.20Ta, and Zr–0.85Nb–0.40Ta (wt.%) alloys were obtained with the following two thermomechanical processes after a water quenching from βZr: (a) annealed at 570 °C for 3840 h and (b) a combination of intermediate annealing temperatures and cold rolled steps. Quantitative EDS-TEM analysis together with DSC measurements were used to characterise the changes in phase compositions and the fraction of beta-phase precipitates. Hydrogen solubility was measured in alloys with the first annealed condition. The Ta additions increase the monotectic transformation temperature, improves the steam corrosion at 400 °C and 10 MPa up to 14 days, and decreases slightly the hydrogen solubility. The higher thermal microstructural stability compared to Ta-free Zr–1Nb alloys provides potential advantages for increases in operating temperature or acceleration of precipitation kinetics during thermomechanical processing.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | TMS 2022 151st Annual Meeting and Exhibition Supplemental Proceedings |
Publisher | Springer |
Pages | 1352-1362 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 978-3-030-92381-5 |
ISBN (Print) | 978-3-030-92380-8, 978-3-030-92383-9 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2022 |
MoE publication type | A4 Article in a conference publication |
Event | 151st Annual Meeting and Exhibition of The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, TMS 2022 - Anaheim, United States Duration: 27 Feb 2022 → 3 Mar 2022 |
Publication series
Series | Minerals, Metals and Materials Series |
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ISSN | 2367-1181 |
Conference
Conference | 151st Annual Meeting and Exhibition of The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, TMS 2022 |
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Country/Territory | United States |
City | Anaheim |
Period | 27/02/22 → 3/03/22 |
Funding
This study was supported by FonCyT, through PICT-2015-2267 and PICT-2018-01671 projects and by UNSAM, through PAI 2020-80020190200024SM project. P.A. Ferreirós & A.J. Knowles acknowledge funding from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Grant EP/T01220X/1. The authors would also like to thank Jóhan Pauli Magnussen for his help with the phase equilibrium modelling.
Keywords
- Corrosion
- Hydrogen solubility
- Phase transformation
- Ta addition
- Zr–Nb alloys