Structural and phase transformations in high zirconium base alloys

Methods of Moessbauer spectroscopy on 57Fe nuclei in backward scattering geometry (during detection of electrons of internal conversion), x-ray diffraction analysis and electron microscopy were used to study structural and phase transformations in deformed iron-containing α-Zr base alloys during isochronous annealing. Recovery of structural properties takes place in temperature region up to 400-500 deg C. Recrystallization of zirconium matrix, growth of intermetallic compound particles and grains begin at 450-500 deg C. Correlation between the tendency of iron-containing intermetallic compound to oxidation and corrosion resistance of zirconium matrix during corrosion in water (5-150 h, 300 and 350 deg C, 17 MPa) under conditions of the relative stability of structural-phase state of alloys is observed