Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Elizabeth Kautz, Bharat Gwalani, Zefeng Yu, Tamas Varga, Kenneth Geelhood, Arun Devaraj, David Senor
Summary: Zirconium-based alloys (Zr alloys) are important materials in the nuclear industry due to their thermal stability, mechanical durability, and low thermal neutron cross section. However, corrosion can significantly affect their integrity and lifespan, involving dynamic processes such as phase transformations, element redistributions, stress accumulation, volumetric changes, and formation of defects in oxide films. Recent advancements in experimental techniques have enhanced our understanding of these phenomena and our ability to predict material behavior in extreme environments.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Na Li, Weiwei Wang, Lixin Song, Hui Wang, Qiang Fu, Zhenping Qu
Summary: In this study, three types of CexZryOz (CCZ) catalysts with different crystal phases were constructed, and it was found that tetragonal-CCZ (CCZ-t) exhibited the highest activity and methanol selectivity, while cubic-CCZ (CCZ-c) showed lower reaction activity and methanol selectivity. Structural analysis revealed a correlation between oxygen vacancies, surface hydroxyls, and unsaturated Cu species with the activity and methanol selectivity. Temperature programmed experiments and mechanism studies showed that the interface between Cu and tetragonal (t and t) CexZryOz promoted CO2 adsorption and the formation of intermediate species, which facilitated the production of methanol. These findings suggest that constructing active Cu-support interfaces is a crucial approach for designing catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
Hiroshi Masuda, Daiki Tamao, Hidehiro Yoshida
Summary: Recent experiments have reported the effects of external electric fields on phonon-associated phenomena in ZrO2 ceramics, such as phase transformation and diffusion. This study used density-functional perturbation theory to examine the effects of external direct current (DC) electric fields on phonon vibration properties in a tetragonal ZrO2 unit cell. The results showed that the field sensitivities of phonon characteristics exhibited significant orientation dependence, and optical phonons showed considerable field sensitivities near the Brillouin zone boundaries. In contrast, transversal acoustic phonons demonstrated a softening trend with increasing field strengths, indicating the potential phase transformation under strong external electric fields.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ritesh Singh, Sravan Bokka, Annu Kumar Lakshya, Anirban Chowdhury
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential of CaO-doped ZrO2 nanoparticles as a dye adsorbent. Unlike previous research, this study shows that the doped-ZrO2 system alone can achieve maximum adsorption capacity for Congo red, with high surface area and rapid dye removal.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiao Tang, Xingce Fan, Jun Zhou, Shuo Wang, Mingze Li, Xiangyu Hou, Kewei Jiang, Zhenhua Ni, Bei Zhao, Qi Hao, Teng Qiu
Summary: The chemical mechanism of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) amplifies Raman scattering, but the lack of charge transfer between the SERS substrate and molecules hinders Raman enhancement. Two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenide alloys with tunable energy levels are investigated to construct charge transfer resonance channels for specific target molecules in SERS. The SERS signals are reproducible, and the dependence of SERS on energy levels is revealed.
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Dan Zhao, Ming Chen, Zhipeng Pi, Fan Zhang
Summary: This study focuses on the effects of rare-earth dopants on the phase equilibria and phase stability of tetragonal zirconia in ZrO2-RETaO4 systems. The composition range of non-transformable t-ZrO2 in ZrO2-YbTaO4, ZrO2-DyTaO4, and ZrO2-GdTaO4 is measured to be about 30-41, 22-29, and 16-19 mol% RE0.5Ta0.5O2, respectively. However, non-transformable t-ZrO2 cannot be found in ZrO2NdTaO4 and ZrO2-LaTaO4. These findings are valuable for the development of appropriate thermal barrier coatings.
CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
B. B. Xiao, Q. Y. Huang, J. Wu, E. H. Song, Q. Jiang
Summary: In this study, tetragonal copper selenide (CuSe) was identified as a promising material for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with good activity and electron conductivity, making it a potential candidate for next-generation efficient catalysis.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
X. L. Zhang, X. Zhang, L. C. Zhang, Z. G. Huang, F. Fang, J. J. Hu, Y. X. Yang, M. X. Gao, H. G. Pan, Y. F. Liu
Summary: Nano-ZrO2 catalyst synthesized through a solvothermal process exhibits superior catalytic activity and hydrogenation kinetics in MgH2 for hydrogen storage, enabling hydrogen release and uptake at lower temperatures.
MATERIALS TODAY NANO
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Zheng-yang Li, Zhen-bing Cai, Wei Zhang, Rui-rui Liu, Zhong-bo Yang, Yong-jun Jiao
Summary: This study investigated the fretting corrosion behavior of zirconium alloy under different pH conditions. The morphology, microstructure, and wear mechanism of the alloy were analyzed. The results showed that the wear mechanism under acidic conditions is oxidation wear and abrasive wear. Additionally, the maximum wear volume was observed in the pH 1 condition.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Kinga Suchorab, Magdalena Gaweda, Anna Kosinska, Damian Kalita, Iwona Jozwik, Lukasz Kurpaska
Summary: The paper investigates the corrosion behavior of different zirconium-based materials under different oxidation atmospheres. The study utilizes microscopy and Raman imaging techniques to characterize and analyze the materials. The results are compared with previous measurements and correlated with stress distribution.
MATERIALS CHARACTERIZATION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jiang-Wei Wu, Yao-Ping Xie, Mei-Yi Yao, Shu-Hui Guan, Yi Zhao, Rong-Jian Pan, Lu Wu, Zhi-Pan Liu
Summary: Using stochastic surface walking and density functional theory calculations, the influence of Nb and Sn on the stability of tetragonal and monoclinic ZrO2, and t-m phase transition in oxide films were investigated. It was found that the influences of Nb and Sn on the t-m phase transition differ significantly, which explains the different influences of the t-phase fraction in oxide films on the corrosion resistance of Zr alloys.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hau Quoc Pham, Tai Thien Huynh
Summary: This article reports a ternary NiRuPt nanoscale alloy catalyst, which overcomes the high cost and low catalytic efficiency of anode catalysts in direct ethanol fuel cells. The catalyst, anchored on the Ti0.9Ir0.1O2-C surface, exhibits high electrocatalytic performance for ethanol electro-oxidation reaction (EOR) and shows impressive anti-CO poisoning ability and electrocatalytic stability. This work opens up an efficient strategy for designing multicomponent catalysts to enhance the catalytic performance of electrocatalysts in renewable energy-related technologies.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Meiyi Yao, Jiao Huang, Keke Hou, Hanpei Zhao, Xue Liang, Jinlong Zhang, Bangxin Zhou, Qiang Li
Summary: The Zr-1Nb alloy exhibits desired corrosion resistance in deionized water but accelerated corrosion in lithiated water. Blister-like morphologies on the oxide film of the Zr-1Nb alloy corroded in lithiated water were observed, indicating hydrogen generation beneath the oxide film. The high hydrogen release rate contributes to the formation of blisters, degrading the protectiveness of oxide film and corrosion resistance after corrosion transition.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhihui Ni, Hongjin Lv, Guoyu Yang
Summary: This review focuses on the structural diversities and catalytic applications of Ti/Zr-substituted polyoxometalates (POMs). The synthesis strategies of Ti/Zr-substituted POMs and their potential future development are discussed.
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Zheng-yang Li, Mei-yin Zheng, Quan-yao Ren, Zhen-bing Cai, Yong-jun Jiao
Summary: In this research, the characteristics and fretting wear behavior of the oxide layer on Zr alloy were investigated by immersing the alloy in high-temperature water for different durations. It was found that the oxide layer consisted of t-ZrO2, m-ZrO2, and metal Zr, with increasing thickness and hardness over time. The wear volume of the oxide layer on Zr alloy was significantly reduced compared to the alloy itself due to its dense structure and high hardness, resulting in resistance to fretting damage. The wear mechanism of Zr alloy was adhesive wear, while the wear mechanism of the oxide layer was abrasive wear.
Article
Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering
Jing-Jing Liao, Zhong-Bo Yang, Shao-Yu Qiu, Qian Peng, Zheng-Cao Li, Ming-Sheng Zhou, Hong Liu
ACTA METALLURGICA SINICA-ENGLISH LETTERS
(2019)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Jingjing Liao, Fei Xu, Qian Peng, Zhongbo Yang, Zhengcao Li, Shaoyu Qiu
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2020)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Jingjing Liao, Junsong Zhang, Wei Zhang, Fei Xu, Zhongbo Yang, Guang Ran, Qian Peng, Shaoyu Qiu
Summary: The transition of zirconium alloys during corrosion is inevitable as it accelerates degradation of corrosion property. Research suggests that during transition, t-ZrO2 transforms into m-ZrO2, accompanied by lateral cracks and interconnected pores.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
W. Zhang, J. J. Liao, Z. B. Yang, S. Y. Qiu, J. J. Yang, J. L. Liao, Y. Y. Yang, N. Liu
Summary: The (TiTaNbZrNi)N hybrid structure coatings prepared by reactive gas pulse sputtering technique exhibit excellent performance in high temperature water corrosion and oxidation resistance, with the oxygen diffusion depth being influenced by the thickness of the (TiTaNbZrNi)Nx sublayer and multilayer interface.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Jingjing Liao, Wei Zhang, Junsong Zhang, Zhongbo Yang, Fei Xu, Qian Peng, Zhengcao Li, Shaoyu Qiu
Summary: Long-term online monitoring was conducted on two zirconium claddings during corrosion in 360°C water, revealing that the cathodic reaction is activation-controlled while the anodic reaction is diffusion-controlled. Recombination of hydrogen atoms becomes increasingly difficult with time, especially in one of the alloys, suggesting increased diffusion probability of hydrogen atoms into the zirconium matrix. The proposal is supported by experimental data.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wanqian Zhao, Tianguo Wei, JingJing Liao, Pengcheng Song, Xiaoming Peng, Zhihai Liao
Summary: The study investigated the oxidation characteristics of Zr-4 and Zr-Sn-Nb alloys in different environments, revealing kinetic oxidation transitions at different temperatures and faster oxidation kinetics in air compared to steam and oxygen. The composition and structure of the oxide layers also vary depending on the environment.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
W. Zhang, R. R. Liu, J. J. Liao, Z. H. Liao, R. C. Liu, K. Shi, Z. B. Yang, S. Y. Qiu, J. J. Yang
Summary: The interface evolution and corrosion resistance of the (TiTaNbZrNi)N hybrid structure coating under irradiation were investigated. The (TiTaNbZrNi)Nx sublayer disappeared after irradiation, transforming the three-phase interface into a two-phase interface. The irradiated coating showed lower oxygen penetration depth and better corrosion resistance.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Jingjing Liao, Hui Wang, Jun Wu, Wei Zhang, Fei Xu, Hongying Sun, Xuguang An, Shaoyu Qiu
Summary: The addition of Niobium in candidate accident tolerant fuel cladding FeCrAl alloy has been investigated in this study. The results showed that FeCrAl alloys have good corrosion resistance in high temperature water environments. The addition of a moderate amount of Nb improved the corrosion resistance, while a high Nb content may lead to porosity and iron depletion in the oxide film.
MATERIALS & DESIGN
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Liuming Wei, Jingwen Li, Yonggang Li, Qirong Zheng, Fan Cheng, Chuanguo Zhang, Jingyu Li, Gaofeng Zhao, Zhi Zeng
Summary: This study investigates the influence of He-V complexes on H behaviors on different W surfaces using DFT calculations. The results show that H dissolution is most difficult but H trapping is easiest on the W (110) surface, while the opposite is true on the W (111) surface. Moreover, the presence of He-V complexes increases the difficulty of H diffusion from bulk to surface and desorption.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2024)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yan Meng, Song Zeng, Chen Chen, Chaowen Zhu, Huahai Shen, Xiaosong Zhou, Xiaochun Han
Summary: The characteristics of magnetron sputtered Cr coatings vary with different temperature, bias voltage, and pressure. Coatings with random orientation, good crystallinity, and small grain size exhibit favorable oxidation behavior, while coatings with strong (200) texture, poor crystallinity, and large grains have many intrinsic defects that are detrimental to the protection property of the Cr coatings.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2024)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xinyuan Xu, Zefeng Yu, Wei-Ying Chen, Aiping Chen, Arthur Motta, Xing Wang
Summary: This study presents an automated approach for characterizing grain morphology in TEM images recorded during ion irradiation. By combining a machine learning model and a computer vision algorithm, comparable results to human analysis can be achieved with significantly reduced analysis time. Researchers can train their own models following the procedures described in this study to automate grain morphology analysis of their own TEM images.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2024)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Shihao Wu, Dong Wang, Yapei Zhang, Koji Okamoto, Marco Pellegrini, Wenxi Tian, Suizheng Qiu, G. H. Su
Summary: The oxidation and degradation mechanisms of Cr coating on Zr alloy cladding under high temperature steam atmosphere are summarized, and a mathematical analysis model is established to predict the changes in coating thickness. The model is applied in the analysis of structure evolution under different conditions.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2024)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
V. Diaz-Mena, J. de Prado, M. Roldan, I. Izaguirre, M. Sanchez, M. Rieth, A. Urena
Summary: The brazeability of a cupronickel alloy was evaluated as a filler alloy for high-temperature joining of tungsten to steel. The study investigated the brazing conditions and the impact of the selected filler on the joint quality using numerical software. The results showed different metallurgical interactions and diffusion phenomena between the filler alloy and the base materials at different temperatures. The study emphasized the importance of selecting a suitable filler to mitigate residual stresses in the joints.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2024)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Pengcheng Zhu, Yajie Zhao, Yan-Ru Lin, Jean Henry, Steven J. Zinkle
Summary: This study investigates the effect of heavy-ion irradiation on radiation hardening in high-purity binary alloy Fe18Cr. Nanoindentation testing and high-quality TEM imaging were conducted to extract hardness and microstructure information. The strength factor was accurately calculated based on the detailed TEM characterization of irradiated microstructures, and a refined hardening superposition method was applied to quantify the mechanical properties of ion-irradiated materials.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2024)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Bin Wu, Haixia Ning, Hanzhen Zhu, Jianjun Chen, Kang Wang, Daiyu Zhang, Fu Wang, Qilong Liao
Summary: This study discusses the effects of ZrO2 and B2O3 on the phase composition and properties of SAP-based glass-ceramics. The results show that ZrO2 addition improves the formation of NZP phase while restricting the crystallization of AlPO4 phases. The correct ratios of ZrO2 and B2O3 allow only the formation of NZP phase within the SAP glass.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2024)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Hwasung Yeom, Greg Johnson, Benjamin Maier, Tyler Dabney, Kumar Sridharan
Summary: Cr-Nb bilayer coatings were developed using cold spray deposition to improve the limiting operational temperature of Cr-coated Zr-alloy system. The coatings exhibited outstanding oxidation resistance at high temperatures and formed continuous intermetallic compound layers at the interfaces.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2024)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Padhraic L. Mulligan, Andrew T. Nelson, Chad M. Parish, Patrick A. Champlin, Xiang Chen, Daniel Morrall, Jason M. Harp
Summary: Environmental barrier coatings are being developed to reduce oxidation and embrittlement in Zr-based materials. Chromium nitride is a candidate for this application, but understanding its impact on irradiation-induced creep and microstructure is critical.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2024)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Dexuan Yan, Xinlei Cao, Ke Shen
Summary: This study investigated the purification mechanism of polycrystalline graphite by comparing IG-11 graphite with IG-110 nuclear grade graphite. The analysis revealed that metallic impurities in IG-11 were primarily segregated within graphite porosities, while IG-110 demonstrated a significant reduction in impurities. This research contributes to the development of innovative graphite purification techniques for greater purity and stronger oxidation resistance.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2024)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Wei Xu, Wei Peng, Lei Shi, Qi Sun
Summary: This paper investigates the oxidation and shape evolution of matrix graphite in high temperature gas-cooled reactors during air-ingress accidents. A reaction kinetics model is established and computational fluid dynamics with a dynamic mesh method is used to simulate the oxidation process. The results show that the geometric shape of graphite changes significantly with increasing flow rate, and the graphite pebbles tend to form a structure with a narrow front and wide tail.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2024)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Allison Harward, Casey Elliott, Michael Shaltry, Krista Carlson, Tae-Sic Yoo, Guy Fredrickson, Michael Patterson, Michael F. Simpson
Summary: This paper investigates the hygroscopic properties of eutectic LiCl-KCl absorbed into zeolite-4A. The study finds that water absorption and corrosion worsen with increasing salt loading. It also suggests that the salt can be stored in a non-inert atmosphere for a certain period of time.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2024)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Takaaki Koyanagi, Xunxiang Hu, Christian M. Petrie, Gyanender Singh, Caen Ang, Christian P. Deck, Weon-Ju Kim, Daejong Kim, James Braun, Yutai Katoh
Summary: This study provides critical experimental data on the effects of irradiation on the hermeticity of SiC composite cladding, finding that irradiation can cause a decrease in hermeticity and cracking, and coating the outer surface can mitigate the cracking issue.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2024)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
S. Krat, A. Prishvitsyn, Yu. Gasparyan
Summary: This study proposes a probabilistic and diffusion-based model to describe the co-deposition of multiple hydrogen isotopes with slowly grown metal layers. The model calculates the relative concentrations of different hydrogen isotopes in the co-deposited metal layers. It is found that if hydrogen isotopes have different detrapping energies, only the isotope with the highest detrapping energy shows a monotonic decrease in concentration with deposition temperature. Furthermore, the study evaluates the uncertainty of tritium concentration in the co-deposited layer based on the uncertainty in detrapping energy of tritium and deuterium, predicting a >10% tritium concentration uncertainty for a 0.01 eV difference.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2024)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Tijo Vazhappilly, Arup Kumar Pathak
Summary: This study investigates the effect of Ce atom substitution in UO2 on its thermophysical properties using density functional theory. The results show that the Ce substitution levels and the oxidation state of Ce/U atoms strongly influence the band structure and specific heat capacity of the UO2 lattice. These findings provide important insights into the fuel properties of UO2 under reactor conditions.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2024)