Corrosion Behavior and Microstructural Characteristics, of the Zr-1.5Nb-0.4Sn-0.2Fe-0.1Cr Alloy with Different Manufacturing Processes

The best manufacturing process for a high Nb-containing Zr-based alloy was determined by means of a corrosion test under a 400 degrees C steam condition, and a microstructural analysis was performed on the Zr-1.5Nb-0.4Sn-0.2Fe-0.1Cr alloy, which was made with different manufacturing processes. This alloy was manufactured as sheets through the application of various manufacturing processes; the processes were controlled by a combination of the intermediate annealing temperatures and cold working steps after a water quenching of the P region. The corrosion behaviors of the Zr-1.5Nb-0.4Sn-0.2Fe-0.1Cr alloy were clearly affected by the manufacturing conditions, and the corrosion resistance. was considerably increased by the application of sequences of cold rolling and annealing. Microstructural analysis of the alloy sheets confirms that the corrosion resistance of the Zr-1.5Nb-0.4Sn-0.2Fe-0.1Cr alloy can be estimated by a concentration of Nb in the precipitates, regardless of the manufacturing processes. Moreover, the pole figure evaluation of the oxide layers that formed on the Zr-1.5Nb-0.4Sn-0.2Fe-0.1Cr alloy sheets with different manufacturing processes verifies that the ((1) over bar 11) and (200) textures of the monoclinic ZrO(2) phase are well developed when the corrosion resistance is increased.