We study the influence of the conditions of thermochemical treatment (TCT) of annular specimens cut out from a fuel cladding tube made of Zr–1% Nb alloy on their oxidation in air at a temperature T = 550°C for up to τ = 100 h. It is shown that the conditions of TCT in controlled oxygen-containing gas atmospheres decrease the mass increment in the course of oxidation as compared with untreated specimens. It was established that the conditions leading to a greater decrease in the mass increment of the specimens in the process of oxidation also correspond to the minimal sum of recorded acoustic-emission signals in the course of their deformation. It was discovered that TCT does not decrease the mechanical characteristics of the tubes but, at the same time, slows down their deterioration during oxidation. By using the accumulated results, i.e., in view of the deceleration of the process of oxidation in air with preservation of the mechanical properties of Zr–1% Nb alloy, we can make a conclusion that TCT is a promising procedure in the technological process of final thermal treatment of fuel cladding tubes.
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Translated from Fizyko-Khimichna Mekhanika Materialiv, Vol. 56, No. 4, pp. 69–75, July–August, 2020.
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Voyevodin, V.M., Fedirko, V.M., Trush, V.S. et al. Influence of Thermochemical Treatment on the Oxidation of Fuel Cladding Tubes Made of Zr – 1% Nb Alloy. Mater Sci 56, 509–515 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11003-021-00457-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11003-021-00457-x