Irradiation enhancement of water corrosion of Zr alloys: materials and water radiochemistry aspects of oxide growth

It is well known that under irradiation the corrosion rates of Zircaloy's are significantly increased. The aim of this paper is to present the two main mechanisms by which the irradiation is supposed to contribute to such a corrosion rate enhancement. The first one concerns the effects of irradiation on the base metal and their consequences on the zirconia nucleation and growth. The second one implies the contribution of water radiolysis and is proposed as an explanation for all the reported cases of local or gross corrosion enhancement. (authors). 3 figs., 13 refs