2017 journal article

Evolution of microstructure and second-phase particles in Zr-Sn-Nb-Fe alloy tube during Pilger processing

JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 54(12), 1321–1329.

By: R. Qiu*, Z. Song*, B. Luan*, Q. Yue, L. Wang, G. Yuan, K. Murty n, Q. Liu*

co-author countries: China 🇨🇳 United States of America 🇺🇸
author keywords: Zirconium alloy; microstructure; second-phase particles; pilger processing
Source: Web Of Science
Added: August 6, 2018

Evolution of microstructure and second-phase particles (SPPs) in Zr–Sn–Nb–Fe alloy tube were investigated during Pilger process using electron backscatter diffraction, secondary electron and transmission electron microscopy imaging techniques. Results show that the Pilger rolled tubes present heterogeneous structures with the C axes of less deformed grains mostly concentrated in the axial direction. During the Pilger rolling, the increase of deformation caused weakening of linear distribution of second-phase particles. The mean diameters of the precipitates are in the range of 70–100 nm in all specimens, and the growth mechanism of SPPs follows second-order kinetics. The grain growth is controlled by Zener pinning in the Pilger rolling–annealing specimens. Clusters containing the Zr(Nb,Fe)2 and βNb precipitates formed in the Zr–1.0Sn–1.0Nb–0.12Fe alloy. Most of the particles located in grain boundaries are the Zr(Nb,Fe)2 Laves phase with hexagonal structure, and stacking faults have been found in the Zr(Nb,Fe)2 precipitates. The types, morphology and distribution of precipitates depend on the constituent and structural fluctuations of the nucleation area.