Self-healing behavior of Cr-coated Zr alloy cladding in high temperature steam oxidation process

Cr-coated Zr alloy claddings, prepared via physical vapor deposition (PVD), were used to study the damage evolution under a series of high-temperature steam oxidation conditions. Through-thickness cracks were initially produced within the Cr coat by internal pressure creep test. The Cr-coated samples with cracks were then oxidized at temperatures from 800 degrees C to 1200 degrees C in water steam environment. Microstructures of the samples before and after oxidation were characterized in comparison by scanning electronic microscopy, transmission electronic microscopy and energy dispersion spectrometry. The results showed that a large proportion of cracks would be self-healed when the temperature increased to 1000 degrees C. At the places where the cracks have survived, the corresponding Zr substrate regions were oxidized to form semi-spherical or fan-shaped ZrO2. However, the maximum depth of ZrO2 under the unhealed cracks was smaller than that of the uncoated claddings at the same oxidation conditions. (C) 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V.