Stability increase of fuel clad with zirconium oxynitride thin film by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

A zirconium oxynitride (ZON) thin film was deposited onto HT9 steel as a cladding material by a metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) in order to prevent a fuel-clad chemical interaction (FCCI) between a U-10 wt% Zr metal fuel and a clad material. X-ray diffraction spectrums indicated that the mixture of structures of zirconium nitride, oxide and carbide in the MOCVD grown ZON thin films. Also, typical equiaxial grain structures were found in plane and cross sectional images of the as-deposited ZON thin films with a thickness range of 250-500 nm. A depth profile using auger electron microscopy revealed that carbon and oxygen atoms were decreased in the ZON thin film deposited with hydrogen gas flow. Diffusion couple tests at 800 degrees C for 25 hours showed that the as-deposited ZON thin films had low carbon and oxygen content, confirmed by the Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy, which showed a barrier behavior for FCCI between the metal fuel and the clad. This result suggested that ZON thin film cladding by MOCVD, even with the thickness below the micrometer level, has a high possibility as an effective FCCI barrier. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.