Precipitate stability in neutron-irradiated Zircaloy-4

Zircaloy-4, a zirconium-base alloy used extensively as cladding and core structural materials in water-cooled nuclear reactors, was examined by transmission electron microscopy, after neutron irradiation and postirradiation annealing. Phase instabilities found during irradiation at 561 K include the amorphous transformation and the dissolution of the intermetallic Zr(Fe,Cr)2. The α-matrix is driven toward a single phase solid solution as the neutron fluence increases. This is evidenced by the continuous dissolution of the precipitate without precipitation of any new phase during irradiation. During postirradiation annealing at 833 K, solute Fe precipitates out particularly at the grain boundaries as Zr-Fe zeta-phase. Recrystallization of the amorphous precipitates occurs at a postirradiation annealing temperature of 1023 K. In general, the observed phenomena of amorphous transformation, precipitate dissolution, reprecipitation and recrystallization reflect the complex solute-point defect interactions in the α-matrix. The continuous solute dissolution during irradiation is expected to have a potential effect on irradiation growth, creep and corrosion properties of the alloy. (orig.)