| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2021 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Composite Materials for Nuclear Applications
|
| Presentation Title |
Development of PVD Cr Coatings for Hydrothermal Corrosion Mitigation of SiC-SiCf Fuel Cladding in LWRs |
| Author(s) |
Kyle Quillin, Hwasung Yeom, Tyler Dabney, John Lacy, Taeho Kim, Sergey Chemerisov, Adrien Couet, Kumar Sridharan |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Kyle Quillin |
| Abstract Scope |
SiC-SiCf composites are under consideration as a next-generation fuel cladding material for light water reactors (LWRs) based on their high temperature stability and resistance to irradiation damage. SiC-SiCf cladding offers greatly improved safety performance in accident conditions compared to current Zr-alloy cladding. One challenge in the implementation of this composite is the hydrothermal corrosion of SiC under normal operating conditions. We demonstrate the feasibility of PVD Cr coatings as an environmental barrier to mitigate hydrothermal corrosion of SiC. Two types of magnetron sputter technologies were utilized to deposit Cr coatings on CVD SiC substrates. Detailed microstructural analysis has been performed to correlate deposition parameters to corrosion performance in both static and flowing water under prototypical LWR conditions. The results of this study and the effects of water radiolysis on corrosion will be discussed, with the goal of enhancing the viability of advanced SiC-SiCf composites as cladding for LWR applications. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |