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arXiv · 1807.11927

The effect of cooling rate and grain size on hydride formation in Zircaloy-4

Ruth Birch·Siyang Wang·Vivian Tong·Thomas Benjamin Britton
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Abstract

We explore the distribution, morphology and structure of zirconium hydrides formed using different cooling rates through the solid state Zr+[H] --> Zr + hydride transus, in fine and blocky alpha Zircaloy-4. We observe that cooling rate and grain size control the phase and distribution of hydrides. The blocky alpha (coarse grain, > 200 micrometer) Zircaloy-4, has a smaller grain boundary area to grain volume ratio and this significantly affects nucleation and growth of hydrides as compared to fine grain size (~11 micrometer) material.

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Ruth Birch, Siyang Wang, Vivian Tong, Thomas Benjamin Britton. 2018-07-31. The effect of cooling rate and grain size on hydride formation in Zircaloy-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.11.011

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