| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
MS&T22: Materials Science & Technology
|
| Symposium
|
Advanced Coatings for Wear and Corrosion Protection
|
| Presentation Title |
Novel Surface Treatment for Electrolytic Deposition of Chromium onto Zirconium |
| Author(s) |
Benjamin I. Aronson, Patrick M. Fourspring, Justin A. Reiss, Lucas M. Erich, Michael J. Ammendola, Ryan L. Romesberg, Jason K. Clobes, Brendan M. Ensor, Leslie K. Stubna, Douglas E. Wolfe |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Benjamin I. Aronson |
| Abstract Scope |
Chromium coatings are a subject of growing interest for nuclear power, as they provide additional protection against corrosion for zirconium alloy components, without significantly compromising their thermal efficiency. Electrolytic deposition is commonly used to apply chromium coatings, but the persistent oxidation behavior of zirconium leads to heterogeneous nucleation of the coating structure. The resulting island growth causes crevices and pinholes in the coating surface, creating pathways for corrosive electrolytes. This study explores a novel surface treatment to be used before deposition. The process simultaneously removes the passive oxide layer of the zirconium substrate, and deposits a thin bonding layer in its place. This allows for uniform growth of chromium on the substrate surface, improving the corrosion protection and adhesion of the coating. Following the surface treatment, potentiodynamic corrosion testing showed that the novel coating process exhibited greater corrosion resistance than both the traditional zirconium alloy, and the untreated chromium coating. |