• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.250-255
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• 2009

Oxidation characteristics of Zirlo and Zircaloy-4 tubes, which are widely used as nuclear power fuel cladding, are studied in steam environment up to $1200^{\circ}C$. Oxidation resistances are compared in terms of the mass increase due to the absorption of oxygen. The evolution of microscopic structure accompanied with the oxidation process is investigated. Also, the influence of oxidation on the fretting wear characteristics of the tubes is studied. Piezo-electrically actuated rig is employed to fret the tubes with cross-contacting arrangement. Wear scar is observed and measured, by using microscopes and a 3D-profiler. The results of fretting wear are quantified in terms of scar size, wear volume and wear coefficient, and compared for the three different tube materials of oxidated Zirlo, virgin Zirlo and Zircaloy-4.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제40권4호
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• pp.180-184
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• 2007

A new zirconium alloy, low-Sn Zircaloy-4 was investigated to see the effects of high pressure steam on the oxidation at high temperatures. High pressure steam turned out to enhance the oxidation at high temperatures below $1000^{\circ}C$. The oxide layer groved to deviate from the uniform layer under high steam pressures, and usually cracks were found at the thicker parts in the oxide layer. High pressure steam seems to destabilize the tetragonal oxides near the metal layer, and the monoclinic oxides transformed from the destabilized tetragonal oxides are structurally not sound, resulting in enhanced oxidation under high pressure steam.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.317-323
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• 2002

Effect of V and Sb content on characteristics of ${\beta}\;to\;{\alpha}$ phase transformation in Zr-0.84Sn alloy has been studied using optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. As V content increased, the ${\beta}{\to}{\beta}+{\alpha}$ transformation temperature was lowered, thus allowing the width of $\alpha$-lath in air-cooled Zr-0.86Sn-0.40V alloy to be fine. The width of ${\alpha}$-lath in air-cooled Zr-0.84Sn-xSb, however, was rarely changed with Sb content. The ${\beta}\;to\;{\alpha}$ transformed microstructures of water-quenched Zr-0.84Sn, Zr-0.84Sn-0.10V and Zr-0.84Sn-0.19V alloys were mainly slipped martensite. On the other hand, those of wafter-quenched Zr-0.86Sn-0.40V and Zr-0.85Sn-0.05Sb alloys were predominantly twinned martensite. In case of water-quenched Zr-0.85Sn-0.12Sb and Zr-0.84Sn-0.17Sb alloys, basketweave structure was observed. The transition of slipped martensite to twinned martensite in Zr-0.84Sn-xV alloys and the transition of twinned martensite to basketweave structure in Zr-0.84Sn-xSb alloys were due to the decrease of $M_s$ temperature.

• 비파괴검사학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.140-148
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• 2002

중수로 압력관으로 사용되는 Zr-2.5Nb 재료의 고온 이방성 탄성계수를 고온 초음파공명분광법(RUS)로 측정하였다. 소형 가열로 내에 알루미나 waveguide와 광대역 초음파 센서를 사용하여 초음파에너지를 시편에 가하고 시편의 공명주파수를 측정하였다. 압력관의 축 방향, 반경 방향, 원주 방향에 일치하도록 장방형 시편을 가공하였으며 각 방향에 대한 탄성계수 텐서 9개의 값을 상온${\sim}500^{\circ}C$ 온도 구간에서 측정하였다. 탄생계수 텐서, $c_{ij}$는 모두 온도가 증가함에 따라 점진적으로 감소하며 원주 방향의 탄성계수가 축 방향 및 반경 방향의 탄성계수보다 높았다. 이것은 Young's modulus나 shear modulus의 경우에도 일치하였으며 축 방향과 반경 방향의 경우 큰 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 축 방향 및 반경 방향의 비틀림 탄생계수가 $150^{\circ}C$ 부근에서 서로 교차하였으며 이는 단결정 지르코늄의 $c_{44}$ 및 $c_{66}$의 교차 현상과 일치하였다.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제11권6호
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• pp.453-459
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• 2001

미세조직에 따라 기계적 성질 및 내산화성.내부식성 등의 제반 성질이 크게 변하는 Zr계 핵연료 피복관은 미세조직의 최적화가 중요하다. 이러한 미세조직은 합금원소의 고용도에 크게 의존하지만, Zr은 대부분의 용질합금원소의 고용도가 매우 작아서 측정이 곤란하였다. 본 연구에서는 핵연료 피복관 재료의 주요한 기본조성 재료인 Zr-0.8Sn 합금에 대한 Nb의 고용도를 TEP 측정방법을 이용하여 연구하였으며, 광학현미경과 전자현미경으로 미세조직을 관찰하여 이를 확인하였다. 균질화 처리온도가 증가함에 따라 고용된 Nb 함량이 증가하여 Zr-0.8Sn 합금의 TEP는 감소하는 경향을 보였다. 처리온도가 더욱 증가하면 TEP의 포화가 발생하였는데 이는 TEP에 영향을 미치는 고용된 합금원소의 함량 변화가 없기 때문이다. 따라서, TEP의 포화영역이 나타나기 시작하는 균질화 처리온도가 첨가된 Nb이 Zr-0.8Sn 합금에 모두 고용되는 시점이며, 이를 토대로 온도에 따른 Zr-0.8Sn 합금에서의 Nb 고용도 ($C_{Nb}$ )를 $4.69097{\times}10^{16}{\times}e^{-25300\times\;I/T}$(ppm.at.%)로 나타낼 수 있었다.

• 한국표면공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국표면공학회 2018년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.23-23
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• 2018

In this study, new titanium alloys were prepared by adding elements such as tantalum (Ta), zirconium (Zr) and the like to complement the biological, chemical and mechanical properties of titanium alloys. The Ti-40Ta-xZr ternary alloy was formed on the basis of Ti-40Ta alloy with the contents of Zr in the contents of 0, 3, 7 and 15 wt. %. Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO), which combines high-voltage sparks and electrochemical oxidation, is a novel method to form ceramic coatings on light metals such as Ti and its alloys. These oxide film produced by the electrochemical surface treatment is a thick and uniform porous form. It is also composed of hydroxyapatite and calcium phosphate-based phases, so it has the characteristics of bone inorganic, non-toxic and very high bioactivity and biocompatibility. Ti-40Ta-xZr alloys were homogenized in an Ar atmosphere at $1050^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour and then quenched in ice water. The electrochemical oxide film was applied by using a power supply of 280 V for 3 minutes in 0.15 M calcium acetate monohydrate ($Ca(CH_3COO)_2{\cdot}H_2O$) and 0.02 M calcium glycerophosphate ($C_3H_7CaO_6P$) electrolyte. A small amount of 0.0075M zinc acetate and magnesium acetate were added to the electrolyte to enhance the bioactivity. The mechanical properties of the coated surface of Ti-40Ta-xZr alloys were evaluated by Vickers hardness, roughness test, and elastic modulus using nano-indentation, and the surface wettability was evaluated by measuring the contact angle of the coated surface. In addition, cell activation and differentiation were examined by cell culture of HEK 293 (Human embryonic kidney 293) cell proliferation. Surface properties of the alloys were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM), EDS, and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD).

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제50권2호
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• pp.218-222
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• 2018

An oxide-dispersion-strengthened (ODS) layer was formed on Zircaloy-4 tubes by a laser beam scanning process to increase mechanical strength. Laser beam was used to scan the yttrium oxide ($Y_2O_3$)-coated Zircaloy-4 tube to induce the penetration of $Y_2O_3$ particles into Zircaloy-4. Laser surface treatment resulted in the formation of an ODS layer as well as microstructural phase transformation at the surface of the tube. The mechanical strength of Zircaloy-4 increased with the formation of the ODS layer. The ring-tensile strength of Zircaloy-4 increased from 790 to 870 MPa at room temperature, from 500 to 575 MPa at $380^{\circ}C$, and from 385 to 470 MPa at $500^{\circ}C$. Strengthening became more effective as the test temperature increased. It was noted that brittle fracture occurred at room temperature, which was not observed at elevated temperatures. Resistance to dynamic high-temperature bursting improved. The burst temperature increased from 760 to $830^{\circ}C$ at a heating rate of $5^{\circ}C/s$ and internal pressure of 8.3 MPa. The burst opening was also smaller than those in fresh Zircaloy-4 tubes. This method is expected to enhance the safety of Zr fuel cladding tubes owing to the improvement of their mechanical properties.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권9호
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• pp.3272-3282
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• 2022

To improve the safety and life extension qualities of nuclear fuel rods which is currently made of zirconium (Zr) alloy, research on the application of chromium (Cr) coating was conducted. Cr coating has advantages such as increased corrosion resistance and reduced oxidation rate, but non-destructive thickness evaluation studies are needed to ensure the reliability of the steps taken to provide uniform coating thickness. Eddy current testing (ECT) is a representative non-destructive technique for such as thickness evaluation and surface defect inspection. To inspect changes in thickness at micron scale, the Swept Frequency Eddy Current Testing (SFECT) method was applied to select a frequency range sensitive to changes in thickness. The coating thickness was evaluated using changes in signals, such as that for impedance. In this study, basic research was performed to evaluate the thickness of the Cr coating on a rod using an encircling sensor and the SFECT technique. The sensor design parameters were determined through simulation, after which the new sensor was manufactured. A sensor capable of measuring the thickness of a non-uniformly Cr-coating rod was selected through an experiment evaluating the performance of the manufactured sensor. This was done using the impedance-difference of a Cr-coating rod and a Zr alloy rod. The possibility of evaluation of the Cr coating thickness was confirmed by comparing the experimental results with the selected sensor and the signals of the measured Cr-coating rod. All simulation results were verified experimentally.

• 대한기계학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한기계학회 2001년도 춘계학술대회논문집D
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• pp.834-839
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• 2001

Calandria tube wrapping each pressure tube is one of the key structural components of CANDU reactor(Calandria) which is consisted of many pressure tubes containing nuclear fuel assemblies. As the Calandria tube(made of zirconium alloy) is sagging due to its thermal and irradiation creep during the plant operation, it possibly contacts with liquid injection nozzle crossing beneath the Calandria tube, which subsequently results in difficulties on the safe operation. It is therefore necessary to check the gap for the confirmation of no contacts between the two tubes, Calandria tube and liquid injection tube, with a proper measure during the life of plant. In this study, an ultrasonic measurement method was selected among several methods investigated. The ultrasonic device being developed for the measurement of the gap was introduced and its preliminary performance test results were presented here. The gap between LIN and CT at site was measured using by this ultrasonic device at site.

• 마이크로전자및패키징학회지
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.79-85
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• 2016

It is imperative to find environment-friendly coatings as an alternative to the currently used hexavalent chromate conversion coatings for the purpose of improving the anti-corrosion properties of aluminum alloys. Hence, in this study, the corrosion properties of a trivalent chromate conversion coating solution are analyzed and measured. Because of the presence of multiple components in trivalent chromate conversion coating solutions, it is difficult to control plating, attributed to their mutual organic relationship. It is of significance to determine the concentrations of the components present in these coatings; hence, qualitative and quantitative analysis is required. The coating solution contained not only an environment-friendly component chromium(III), but also zirconium, fluorine, sulfur, and potassium, in the coating film. These metals are confirmed to produce a film with improved corrosion resistance to form a thin layer. The excellent corrosion resistance for the trivalent chromate solution is attributed to various inorganic and organic additives.