Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

High-Temperature Oxidation of Zircaloy-4 in Oxygen–Nitrogen Mixtures

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Oxidation of Metals Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Isothermal oxidation experiments with cladding tube segments of Zircaloy-4 (Zr-1.3%Sn) in oxygen–nitrogen model mixtures were performed at 800, 1000, and 1200 °C for 6, 1 h, and 15 min, respectively. The gas compositions varied between 0 and 100 vol% nitrogen including 1 and 99 vol%. A strong accelerating effect of nitrogen on the oxidation kinetics was seen for a wide range of boundary conditions. At 800 °C, oxidation in all mixtures with 1–99 % nitrogen resulted in higher reaction rates compared to the pure gases, especially after transition from protective to non-protective oxide scales. At 1000 and 1200 °C, only starvation of oxygen in mixtures with low oxygen contents resulted in lower rates compared to pure oxygen. The oxide scales formed in the mixtures were very porous due to the formation of zirconium nitride at the metal-oxide interface and its oxidation during continuing reaction. The extension of the oxide-nitride zone increased with temperature and with nitrogen content in the gas mixture. Nitrogen seems also to affect the pre-transition reaction kinetics. The mechanism of the faster oxidation kinetics of zirconium alloys in atmospheres containing nitrogen will be discussed in this paper.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. M. Steinbrück, M. Große, L. Sepold and J. Stuckert, Nuclear Engineering and Design 240, 1714–1727 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. G. Schanz, B. Adroguer and A. Volchek, Nuclear Engineering and Design 232, 75–84 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. M. Grosse, Nuclear Technology 170, ,272 (2010).

    Google Scholar 

  4. M. Steinbrück, Oxidation of Metals 70, 317–329 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. M. Steinbrück, N. Vér and M. Grosse, Oxidation of Metals 76, 215–232 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. J. H. Back, K. B. Park and Y. H. Jeong, Journal of Nuclear Materials 335, 443–456 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. M. Steinbrück, et al., Progress in Nuclear Energy 52, 19–36 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. D. A. Powers, L. N. Kmetyk and R. C. Schmidt, A Review of Technical Issues of Air Ingression during Severe Reactor Accidents. Report NUREG/CR-6218, SAND94-0731, Sandia National Lab., (1994).

  9. I. Shepherd et al., Oxidation Phenomena in Severe Accidents (OPSA). Final Report, INV-OPSA(99)-P008, (2000).

  10. M. Steinbrück, A. Miassoedov, G. Schanz, L. Sepold, U. Stegmaier and J. Stuckert, Nuclear Engineering and Design 236, 1709–1719 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. M. Steinbrück and M. Böttcher, Journal of Nuclear Materials 414, 276–285 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. M. Steinbrück, Journal of Nuclear Materials 392, 531–544 (2009).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. C. Duriez, T. Dupon, B. Schmet and F. Enoch, Journal of Nuclear Materials 380, 30–45 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. C. Duriez, M. Steinbrück, D. Ohai, T. Meleg, J. Birchley and T. Haste, Nuclear Engineering and Design 239, 244–253 (2009).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. M. Lasserre, V. Peres, M. Pijolat, O. Coindreau, C. Duriez and J.-P. Mardon, Materials and Corrosion 65, 250–259 (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. M. Steinbrück, U. Stegmaier and T. Ziegler, Prototypical Experiments on Air Oxidation of Zircaloy-4 at High Temperatures. Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Report FZKA, 7257 (2007).

  17. N. Birks, G. H. Meier and F. S. Pettit, Introduction to the High-Temperature Oxidation of Metals, 2nd ed, (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2006). ISBN 978-0-521-48042-0.

  18. M. Lerch, Journal of the American Ceramic Society 79, 2641–2644 (1996).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. J.-S. Lee, M. Lerch and J. Maier, Journal of Solid State Chemistry 179, 270–277 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. M. Lerch, et al., Progress in Solid State Chemistry 37, 81–131 (2009).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. L. Gribaudo, D. Arias and J. Abriata, Journal of Phase Equilibria 15, 441–449 (1994).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. P. Hofmann, S. Hagen, G. Schanz and A. Skokan, Chemical Interactions of Reactor Core Materials up to very High Temperatures. Report KFK-4485, Karlsruhe, (1989).

  23. P. Liang, N. Dupin, S. G. Fries, H. J. Seifert, I. Ansara, H. L. Lukas and F. Aldinger, Zeitschrift für Metallkunde 92, 747–756 (2001).

    Google Scholar 

  24. H. M. Chung and T. F. Kassner, Journal of Nuclear Materials 84, 327–339 (1979).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. N. Dupin, I. Ansara, C. Servant, C. Toffolon, C. Lemaignan and J. C. Brachet, Journal of Nuclear Materials 275, 287–295 (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. E. L. Dreizin, V. K. Hoffmann and E. P. Viecenzi, Journal of Materials Research 14, 3840–3842 (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. A. Ermoline, M. Schoenitz and E. L. Dreizin, Journal of Materials Research 21, 320–328 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. M. Lerch, Journal of Materials Science Letters 17, 441–443 (1998).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. I. Barin, Thermochemical Data of Pure Substances, (VCH Verlagsgesellschaft, Weinheim, 1995).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  30. M. Steinbrück, Journal of Nuclear Materials 447, 46–55 (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. S. Park, L. Fernandez-Moguel, M. Steinbrück, J. Birchley, H. -M. Prasser and H. J. Seifert, A mechanism of nitridation process in the Zr-O-N system during air oxidation. The Nuclear Materials Conference NUMAT2014, 27–30 Oct 2014, Clearwater Beach, Florida.

  32. M. Steinbrück, F. Oliveira da Silva and H. J. Seifert, High-temperature oxidation of Zircaloy-4 in steam-nitrogen mixtures. The Nuclear Materials Conference NUMAT2014, 27–30 Oct 2014, Clearwater Beach, Florida.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Applied Materials IAM-AWP, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

    Martin Steinbrück & Steffi Schaffer

Authors
  1. Martin Steinbrück
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Steffi Schaffer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin Steinbrück.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Steinbrück, M., Schaffer, S. High-Temperature Oxidation of Zircaloy-4 in Oxygen–Nitrogen Mixtures. Oxid Met 85, 245–262 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11085-015-9572-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11085-015-9572-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation