Abstract

An analysis of the kinetics of reaction of Zircaloy-2 with oxygen and water vapour in the ranges 20 to 200 Torr and 350 to 500 °C is reported, based upon continuous measurements of the progress of oxidation by both gravimetric and manometric techniques. The study included the transient effects of changing some of the conditions of oxidation (temperature, pressure), the measurement of surface area at various stages of oxidation and microscopy. The kinetics could be divided into four distinct ranges of weight gain, progressing from parabolic through cubic to linear relationships, the weight gains at the transitions being dependent upon temperature. A model is developed which describes the mechanism of oxidation and in particular offers a simple explanation of the cubic rate law in terms of cracking along or near the oxide/metal interface.

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