Wire electrical discharge machining of E110 zirconium alloy

Abstract

The paper deals with the results of experimental research carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X–ray diffraction analysis (XRD) to define, how the modes of wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) influence on the elemental and the phase composition of E110 zirconium alloy’s surface layer.Investigation of the phase composition allowed us to determine the main α and δ phase’s distribution through the depth of zirconium surface layer, in common with phases of oxygen, copper, zirconium, and niobium specific compounds. It was also established the maximum depth of the defect level containing amorphous phase for all of WEDM modes, and proposed the grinding and polishing as potential mechanical methods of its removal.