• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제52권9호
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• pp.2054-2063
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• 2020

The high-temperature oxidation behavior of ZrSi₂ used as a coating material for nuclear fuel cladding was investigated for developing accident-tolerant fuel cladding of light water reactors. Bulk ZrSi₂ samples were prepared by spark plasma sintering. In situ X-ray diffraction was conducted in air at 900, 1000, and 1100 ℃ for 20 h. The microstructures of the samples before and after oxidation were examined by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the oxide layer of zirconium silicide exhibited a layer-by-layer structure of crystalline ZrO₂ and amorphous SiO₂, and the high-temperature oxidation resistance was superior to that of Zircaloy-4 owing to the SiO₂ layer formed. ZrSi₂ was coated on the Zircaloy-4 tube surface using laser 3D printing, and the coated tube was oxidized for 2000 s at 1200 ℃ under a vapor/argon mixture atmosphere. The outer surface of the coated tube was hardly oxidized (10-30 ㎛), while the inner surface of the uncoated tube was significantly oxidized to approximately 300 ㎛.

• 한국분말야금학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국분말야금학회 2006년도 Extended Abstracts of 2006 POWDER METALLURGY World Congress Part 1
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• pp.521-522
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• 2006

Laser additive direct deposition of metals is a new rapid manufacturing technology, which combines with computer aided design, laser cladding and rapid prototyping. The advanced technology can build fully-dense metal components directly from CAD files with neither mould nor tool. Based on the theory of this technology, a promising rapid manufacturing system called "Laser Metal Deposition Shaping (LMDS)" is being developed significantly. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the LMDS-formed samples are tested and analyzed synthetically. As a result, significant processing flexibility with the LMDS system over conventional processing capabilities is recognized, with potentially lower production cost, higher quality components, and shorter lead time.

• 한국정밀공학회지
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.279-286
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• 2016

To enhance the safety of nuclear reactors after the Fukushima accident, researchers are developing various types of accident tolerant fuel (ATF) to increase the coping time and reduce the generation of hydrogen by oxidation. Coated cladding, an ATF concept, can be a promising technology in view of its commercialization. We applied 3D printing technology to the fabrication of coated cladding as well as of coated pellets. Direct metal tooling (DMT) in 3D printing technologies can create a coated layer on the tubular cladding surface, which maintains stability during corrosion, creep, and wear in the reactor. A 3D laser coating apparatus was built, and parameter studies were carried out. To coat pellets with erbium using this apparatus, we undertook preliminary experiments involving metal pellets. The adhesion test showed that the coated layer can be maintained at near fracture strength.

• 한국표면공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국표면공학회 2016년도 추계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.118.1-118.1
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• 2016

The laser surface modification has been reported for its functional applications for improving tribological performance, wear resistance, hardness, and corrosion property. In most of these applications, continuous wave lasers and pulsed lasers were used for surface melting, cladding, alloying. Since flexibility in processing, refinement of microstructure and controlling the surface properties, technology utilizing lasers has been used in a number of fields. Especially, femtosecond laser has great benefits compared with other lasers because its pulsed width is much shorter than characteristic time of thermal diffusion, which leads to diminish heat affected zone. Moreover, laser surface engineering has been highlighted as an effective tool for micro/nano structuring of materials in the bio application field. In this study, we applied femtosecond and nanosecond pulsed laser to treat biometals, such as Mg, Mg alloy, and NiTi alloy, by heating to improve corrosion properties and functionalize their surface controlling cell response as implantable biomedical devices.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제50권2호
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• pp.229-236
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• 2018

Accident-tolerant fuels (ATFs) are currently of high interest to researchers in the nuclear industry and in governmental and international organizations. One widely studied accident-tolerant fuel concept is multilayer cladding (also known as coated cladding). This concept is based on a traditional Zr-based alloy (Zircaloy-4, M5, E110, ZIRLO etc.) serving as a substrate. Different protective materials are applied to the substrate surface by various techniques, thus enhancing the accident tolerance of the fuel. This study focuses on the results of testing of Zircaloy-4 coated with pure chromium metal using the cold spray (CS) technique. In comparison with other deposition methods, e.g., Physical vapor deposition (PVD), laser coating, or Chemical vapor deposition techniques (CVD), the CS technique is more cost efficient due to lower energy consumption and high deposition rates, making it more suitable for industry-scale production. The Cr-coated samples were tested at different conditions ($500^{\circ}C$ steam, $1200^{\circ}C$ steam, and Pressurized water reactor (PWR) pressurization test) and were precharacterized and postcharacterized by various techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), or nanoindentation; results are discussed. Results of the steady-state fuel performance simulations using the Bison code predicted the concept's feasibility. It is concluded that CS Cr coating has high potential benefits but requires further optimization and out-of-pile and in-pile testing.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.257-263
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• 1997

Microstructural characterizations of II-VI blue laser diodes which consist of quaternary $Zn_{1-x}Mg_xS_ySe_{l-y}$ cladding layer, ternary $ZnS_ySe_{l-y}$ guiding layer and $Zn_{0.8}Cd_{0.2}Se$ quantum well as active layer were carried out using the transmission electron microscope working at 300 kV. Even though the entire structure is pseudomorphic to GaAs substrate, the structure had contained numerous extended stacking faults and dislocations which had created at ZnSe/GaAs interfaces and then further grown to the top of the epilayers. These faults might be expected to cause the degradation and shortening the lifetime of laser devices.

• 한국분말재료학회지
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• 제24권5호
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• pp.370-376
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• 2017

In this study we manufacture a Ni-Cr-B-Si +WC/12Co composite coating layer on a Cu base material using a laser cladding (LC) process, and investigate the microstructural and mechanical properties of the LC coating and Ni electroplating layers (reference material). The initial powder used for the LC coating layer is a powder feedstock with an average particle size of $125{\mu}m$. To identify the microstructural and mechanical properties, OM, SEM, XRD, room and high temperature hardness, and wear tests are implemented. Microstructural observation of the initial powder and LC coating layer confirm the layer is composed mainly of ${\gamma}-Ni$ phases and WC and $Cr_{23}C_6$ carbides. The measured hardness of the LC coating and Ni electroplating layers are 653 and 154 Hv, respectively. The hardness measurement from room up to high temperatures of $700^{\circ}C$ result in a hardness decrease as the temperature increases, but the hardness of the LC coating layer is higher for all temperature conditions. Room temperature wear results show that the wear loss of the LC coating layer is 1/12 of the wear level of the Ni electroplating layer. The measured bond strength is also greater in the LC coating than the Ni electroplating.

• 대한용접접합학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한용접접합학회 2005년도 춘계학술발표대회 개요집
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• pp.106-108
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• 2005

The instrumented fuel irradiation test at a research reactor is needed to evaluate the performance of the developed nuclear fuel. The fuel elements can be designed to measure the center line temperature of fuel pellets during the irradiation test by using temperature sensor. The thermal sensor was composed of thermocouple and sensor sheath. Micro-laser welding technology was adopted to seal between seal tube and sensor sheath with thickness of 0.15 mm. The soundness of welding area has to be confirmed to prevent fission gas of the fuel from leaking out of the element during the fuel irradiation test. In this study, fundamental data for micro-laser welding technology was proposed to seal temperature sensor sheath of the instrumented fuel element. And, micro-laser welding for dissimilar metals between sensor sheath and seal tube was characterized by investigating welding conditions. Moreover, the micro-laser welding technology is closely related to advanced industry. It is expected that the laser material processing technology will be adopted to various a pplications in the industry.

• 한국분말야금학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국분말야금학회 2006년도 Extended Abstracts of 2006 POWDER METALLURGY World Congress Part 1
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• pp.293-294
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• 2006

Laser Powder Deposition (LPD) is a technology capable of modifying a metallic structure by adding the appropriate material to perform a desired function. LPD offers a unique fabrication technique that allows the use of soft (tough) materials as base structures. Through LPD a hard material can be applied to the base material with little thermal input (minimal dilution and heat-affected-zone {HAZ}), thus providing the function of a heat treatment or other surface modifications. These surface modifications have been evaluated through standard wear testing (ASTM G-65), surface hardness (Rc), micro-hardness (vickers), and optical microscopy.

• 한국정밀공학회지
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.119-123
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• 2014

Recently, laser processing technologies have been developed in many different industrial fields. The laser processing technologies are widely being applied such as laser assisted machining, cladding, heat treatment and coating. In the laser modules of the laser assisted machining system, laser lens is very important for accuracy and productivity of product. As the laser beam size, shape and focusing distance change, heat input energy of preheating point can be changed, the laser module of the laser assisted machining system should be equipped with various lenses differing beam size, beam shape and focusing distance. In this study, the rotary and linear laser modules are suggested. The finite element analysis is carried out to certify the static and dynamic stabilities of the developed laser modules. Finally, the rotary and linear laser modules have been fabricated successfully using the analysis results.