The influence of composition of nuclear zirconium alloys on in-service corrosion performance

锆合金具有良好的耐腐蚀性能，被广泛应用于发电厂的结构材料中。然而，有一些关键过程限制了服务中关键组件的寿命，而这些过程的机制还没有完全了解。该项目将使用和发展透射电子显微镜和原子探针断层扫描技术来研究商用锆合金的微观结构和局部化学是如何被服役条件所改变的。学生将专注于金属基体中沉淀的形成速度，以及这些沉淀是如何在不同初始成分的合金中融入生长的氧化层的，并将使用这些数据来制定主要降解过程的模型。

Zirconium alloys are widely used as structural materials in electricity generating power plants because of their acceptable corrosion resistance. However there are key processes that limit the lifetime of critical components in service, and the mechanisms of these processes are not fully understood. This project will use and develop transmission electron microscope and atom probe tomography techniques to study how the microstructure and local chemistry of commercial zirconium alloys is modified by the conditions experienced in service. The student will concentrate on the rate of formation of precipitates in the metal matrix and how these are incorporated into growing oxide layers in alloys of different starting composition, and will use this data to formulate models for the dominant degradation processes.