• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.4066-4076
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• 2023

Pressure resistance welding is usually used to seal the connection between the cladding tube and the end plug made of zirconium alloy. The seal welded joint has a direct effect on the service performance of the fuel rod cladding structure. In this paper, the pressure resistance welded joints of zirconium alloy tube-plug structure were obtained by thermal-mechanical simulation experiments. The microstructure and microhardness of the joints were both analyzed. The effect of processing parameters on the microstructure was studied in detail. The results showed that there was no β-Zr phase observed in the joint, and no obvious element segregation. There were different types of Widmanstätten structure in the thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ) and heat affected zone (HAZ) of the cladding tube and the end plug joint because of the low cooling rate. Some part of the grains in the joint grew up due to overheating. Its size was about 2.8 times that of the base metal grains. Due to the high dislocation density and texture evolution, the microhardnesses of TMAZ and HAZ were both significantly higher than that of the base metal, and the microhardness of the TMAZ was the highest. With the increasing of welding temperature, the proportion of recrystallization in TMAZ decreased, which was caused by the increasing of strain rate and dislocation annihilation.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.216-222
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• 2004

Study was focused on the quenching embrittlement property of Zircaloy-4 cladding simulated Loss Of Coolant Accident (LOCA) environment in terms of high temperature oxidation and phase transformation. Property in LOCA condition of advanced cladding that contained Nb element was also investigated. Claddings were oxidized at given temperature and given time followed by water quenching. The results showed that ${\beta}$ phase which formed at quenching stage has an influence on cladding property. In case of advanced cladding, Nb retards cladding oxidation, thus enhances quenching resistance.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.179-182
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• 2001

The chloride volatilization method for the recovery of zirconium and removal of uranium from zirconium containing metallic wastes formed in spent fuel reprocessing was studied using the simulated alloy waste, i.e. the mixture of Zr foil and UO$_2$/U$_3$O$_{8}$ powder. When the simulated waste was heated to react with chlorine gas at 350- l00$0^{\circ}C$, the zirconium metal changed to volatile ZrCl$_4$showing high volatility ratio (Vzr) of 99%. The amount of volatilized uranium increases at higher temperatures causing lowering of decontamination factor (DF) of uranium. This is thought to be caused by the chlorination of UO$_2$ with ZrCl$_4$vapor. The highest DF value of 12.5 was obtained when the reaction temperature was 35$0^{\circ}C$. Addition of 10 vol.% oxygen gas into chlorine gas was effective for suppressing the volatilization of uranium, while the volatilization ratio of zirconium was decreased to 68% with the addition of 20 vol.% oxygen. In the case of the mixture of Zr foil and U$_3$O$_{8}$, the V value of uranium showed minimum (44%) at 40$0^{\circ}C$ with chlorine gas giving the highest DF value 24.3. When the 10 vol.% oxygen was added to chlorine gas, the V value of zirconium decreased to 82% at $600^{\circ}C$, but almost all the uranium volatilized (Vu=99%), which may be caused by the formation of volatile uranium chlorides under oxidative atmosphere.ere.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.401-408
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• 1998

Screw shaped implants of Titanium-13Zirconium-6Niobium(newly developed), Titanium-6Zirconium-6Sn-6Niobium(newly developed) and Titanium-6Aluminum-4Vanadium were machined with square top and inserted in rabbit bone for 3 months. Biomechanical tests(removal torque) showed Titanium-13Zirconium-6Niobium and Titanium-6Zirconium-6Sn-6Niobium to be more stable in the bone bed than those of Titanium-6Aluminum-4Vanadium. Titanium-13Zirconium-6Niobium implants demonstrated a mean removal torque of 31.59Ncm while Titanium-6Aluminum-4Vanadium demonstrated a mean removal torque of 25.27Ncm and Titanium-6Zirconium-6Sn-6Niobium revealed a mean removal torque of 37.44Ncm and were statistically significance in Wilcoxon Signed Rank test(P<0.05). Histomorphometrical comparisons were performed on $10\;{\mu}m$ thick undecalcified ground sections in the light microscope and Titanium-13Zirconium-6Niobium showed more mean bone-tometal contact ratio than to other twotitanium alloys but had no statistically significant differences were found among the three materials(P>0.01).

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.59-63
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• 2012

The spacer grid is one of the main structural components in a fuel assembly. It supports fuel rods, guides cooling water and maintains geometry from external impact load and cyclic stress by the vibration of nuclear fuel rod, it is necessary to have sufficient strength against dynamic external load and fatigue strength. In this study, the mechanical properties and fatigue characteristics of laser beam welded zircaloy thin sheet are examined. The material used in this study is a zirconium alloy with 0.66 mm of thickness. The fatigue strength under cyclic load was evaluated at stress ratio R=0.1. S-N curves are presented with statistical testing method recommend by JSME- S002 and compared with S-N curves at R.T. and $315^{\circ}C$. As a result of the experimental approach, the design guide of fatigue strength is proposed and the results obtained from this study are expected to be useful data for spacer gird design.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.194-201
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate of Zirconium Nitride (ZrN) coating on shear bond strength with denture base resin in Co-Cr and Ti-6Al-4V alloy. Materials and Methods: Co-Cr and Ti-6Al-4V alloy disks (10 mm in diameter, 2.5 mm in thickness; each other: n = 14) were prepared and divided with 2 groups each other by ZrN coating. After primer was applied to disks surface, denture base resin with diameter 6 mm, height 5 mm was bonded on metal disk surface. After surface roughness was measured by Profiler, shear bond strength was determined with Universal testing machine and analyzed with two-way ANOVA. The specimen surfaces and failure mode were examined using a scanning electron microscope. Results: ZrN coated groups showed significantly higher rough surface than non-coated groups (P < 0.05). Irrespective of alloy materials, shear bond strength of ZrN coated groups were lower than non-coated groups (P < 0.001). The scanning electron microscope (SEM) of ZrN coated groups showed mixed and adhesive fractures. Conclusion: ZrN coating weakened bonding strength between denture base resin and Co-Cr, Ti-6Al-4V alloy.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.223-229
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• 2004

The effects of the cooling and annealing conditions on the microstructures and corrosion properties were investigated for the Cu-contained Zr-Nb alloy (Zr-1.1Nb-0.07Cu). After annealing at $1050^{\circ}C$ for 15 min, the specimens were cooled by three methods of water quenching, air cooling, and furnace cooling. Widmanstatten structures were developed in both air- and furnace-cooled specimens, and the Widmanstatten plate width of the furnace-cooled specimens was wider than that of the air-cooled ones. The weight gain in the furnace-cooling case was higher than that in the air-cooling case. This could be the reason why the diffusion time was more enough during the furnace cooling than the air cooling. The oxide of the furnace-cooled specimen was nonunformly formed just beneath the Widmanstatten plate boundaries, where ${\beta}_{Zr}$ phases were exised concentrately. Compared with the $640^{\circ}C$ annealing after the water quenching, the $570^{\circ}C$ annealing could make the ${\beta}_{Nb}$ phases and a concomitant reduction of the Nb in the matrix, and then it could improve the corrosion resistance with the increase of the annealing time. It would be concluded that the corrosion resistance of the Zr-1.1Nb-0.07Cu was good when the Nb concentration in the matrix was reached at an equilibrium level and then the ${\beta}_{Nb}$ phase was formed.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.579-586
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• 2004

A study on the effects of oxide growth on the mechanical properties degradation of pure zirconium and Zircaloy-4 is carried out with high temperature tensile tests. It is found that the mechanical properties can deteriorate with the oxide growth less than $1\%$ of total specimen cross section, especially at $300\~400^{\circ}C$ that is zirconium alloy cladding temperature during the nuclear reactor operation. It is also revealed that Young's modulus changes little but yield strength and tensile strength drop down to $20\% and 40\%$ of the room temperature strength, respectively, in the temperature range. Fractographic analysis shows that the number of dimples decreases and fractured surface becomes smooth with increasing oxide thickness.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.372-378
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• 2000

The effect of alloying elements on the creep resistance of Zr alloys was investigated using thermal creep tests that were performed as a part of advanced fuel cladding development. The creep tests were conducted at 40$0^{\circ}C$ and 150 MPa for 240 hr. A statistical model was derived from the relationship between the steady-state creep rate and the content of individual alloying elements. The creep strengthening effect decreased in the following sequence : Nb, Sn, Mn, Cr, Mo, Fe and Cu. The high creep resistance of Sn and the opposite effect of Fe on zirconium alloys seem to be associated with their lowering and enhancing, respectively, the self-diffusivity of the zirconium matrix.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.235-241
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• 2005

Thermal creep properties of the advanced zirconium fuel claddings named by HANA alloys which were developed for high burn-up application were evaluated. The creep test of HANA cladding tubes was carried out by the internal pressurization method in temperature range from 350 to $400^{\circ}C$ and in the hoop stress range from 100 to 150 MPa. Creep tests were lasted up to 800 days, which showed the steady-state secondary creep rate. The creep resistance of HANA fuel claddings was affected by final annealing temperature and various factors, such as alloying element, applied stress and testing temperature. From the results the microstructure observation of the samples before and after creep test by using TEM, the dislocation density was increased in the sample of after creep test. The Sn as an alloying element was more effective in the creep resistance than other elements such as Nb, Fe, Cr and Cu due to solute hardening effect of Sn. In case of HANA fuel claddings, the improved creep resistance was obtained by the control of final heat treatment temperature as well as alloying element.