Manufacturing method for structural material of reactor core made of zirconium alloy having excellent corrosion resistance, especially, uniform corrosion resistance and hydrogen absorption

The corrosion resistance of zircaloy is affected by conditions of heat treatment in the manufacturing steps to be formed into a final product as a structural material. In the manufacturing method of the present invention, a Zr alloy controlled to comprise Sn: 0.8 to 1.6wt%, Fe: 0.19 to 0.45wt%, Cr: 0.05 to 0.15wt%, Ni: 0.04 to 0.10wt%, Si impurity at a concentration of from 60 to 200ppm and the balance of Zr is melted into a cast piece, to which β hardening is applied. Then, rolling and annealing treatments are applied so that the total heat input amount to the material: ΣAi ranges from 1 x 10-19 to 1 x 10-17. With such procedures, a Zr alloy structural material for a reactor core having excellent homogeneous corrosion resistance and hydrogen absorption resistance for a long period of time while having a sufficient strength can be obtained by controlling the Sn content to the range of from 0.8 to 1.6wt% in which the lower limit is made lower than conventional cases, the Fe content to the range of from 0.19 to 0.45wt% in which the upper limit is made higher than conventional cases and the Si concentration to the range of from 60 to 200ppm which is higher than conventional cases. (T.M.)