About this Abstract |
Meeting |
2022 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
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Symposium
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Synergistic Irradiation, Corrosion, and Microstructural Evolution in Nuclear Materials
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Presentation Title |
Electrochemical Behavior of Fuel Cladding under In-situ UV Irradiation |
Author(s) |
Adrien Couet, Taeho Kim, Antoine Ambard |
On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Adrien Couet |
Abstract Scope |
The effect of Cerenkov (i.e. UV) radiation on the electrochemical response of Zircaloy-4 fuel cladding material in reducing high-temperature water conditions is investigated with open circuit potential (OCP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Mott-Schottky analysis. At room temperature, significant OCP drop is observed when UV is irradiated on pre-oxidized samples, representing n-type oxide behavior. The oxide impedance of pre-oxidized Zircaloy-4 decreases under UV irradiation, likely due to a reduction of the oxide capacitance. Under in-situ conditions (320 ℃ and 15 MPa), the flat-band potential and donor density increase under UV irradiation, confirming electron-hole pair generation and additional band bending at the oxide/water interface. SEM and TEM characterizations clearly show magnetite crystals nucleate and grow on top of zirconium oxide under UV irradiation, while none are observed in non-irradiated area. A UV irradiation-induced photo-electrochemical mechanism involving Fe photo-deposition and oxide photo-dissolution and its implication on in-reactor fuel cladding performance are discussed. |
Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
Keywords |
Nuclear Materials, Other, Environmental Effects |