Mitigation of hydride embrittlement in Zr-2.5 %Nb pressure tube material using palladium coating

IF 3.2 2区工程技术 Q3 MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Journal of Nuclear Materials Pub Date : 2025-07-22 DOI:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156052

Saurav Sunil , Yatindra Kumar , N. Keskar , Apu Sarkar , Shefali Shukla , R.N. Singh

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Abstract

Pressure tubes made of Zr-2.5 %Nb alloy are critical components in Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), where maintaining their structural integrity throughout service life is essential for safe reactor operation. One of the key in-service degradation mechanisms affecting the performance of Zr alloy components is hydride embrittlement, which significantly deteriorates their mechanical properties. In this study, we investigate a novel strategy to mitigate hydride embrittlement by promoting removal of hydrogen from Zr-2.5 %Nb alloy using a palladium (Pd) coating. Optimized conditions for depositing a uniform and adherent Pd layer via an electroless deposition technique were established. The efficiency of hydrogen removal from hydrided Zr-2.5 %Nb samples coated with Pd was demonstrated through heat treatment. Results show a significant reduction in hydrogen content, highlighting the potential of Pd coating as an effective method for mitigating hydride embrittlement by removing the hydrogen from the Zr-alloy pressure tubes and enhancing the service life of PHWR pressure tubes.

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用钯涂层缓解zr - 2.5% Nb压力管材料中氢化物脆化

由zr - 2.5% Nb合金制成的压力管是压重水堆（PHWRs）的关键部件，在整个使用寿命中保持其结构完整性对反应堆的安全运行至关重要。影响Zr合金部件性能的关键劣化机制之一是氢化物脆化，氢化物脆化会显著降低Zr合金部件的力学性能。在这项研究中，我们研究了一种新的策略，通过使用钯（Pd）涂层促进zr - 2.5% Nb合金中氢的去除来减轻氢化物脆。建立了化学沉积法制备均匀、粘附性好的钯层的最佳工艺条件。通过热处理证明了包覆Pd的zr - 2.5% Nb氢化试样的脱氢效率。结果表明，Pd涂层可以显著降低氢含量，从而有效地去除zr合金压力管中的氢，提高PHWR压力管的使用寿命。

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来源期刊

Journal of Nuclear Materials 工程技术-材料科学：综合

CiteScore

5.70

自引率

25.80%

发文量

601

审稿时长

63 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Nuclear Materials publishes high quality papers in materials research for nuclear applications, primarily fission reactors, fusion reactors, and similar environments including radiation areas of charged particle accelerators. Both original research and critical review papers covering experimental, theoretical, and computational aspects of either fundamental or applied nature are welcome. The breadth of the field is such that a wide range of processes and properties in the field of materials science and engineering is of interest to the readership, spanning atom-scale processes, microstructures, thermodynamics, mechanical properties, physical properties, and corrosion, for example. Topics covered by JNM Fission reactor materials, including fuels, cladding, core structures, pressure vessels, coolant interactions with materials, moderator and control components, fission product behavior. Materials aspects of the entire fuel cycle. Materials aspects of the actinides and their compounds. Performance of nuclear waste materials; materials aspects of the immobilization of wastes. Fusion reactor materials, including first walls, blankets, insulators and magnets. Neutron and charged particle radiation effects in materials, including defects, transmutations, microstructures, phase changes and macroscopic properties. Interaction of plasmas, ion beams, electron beams and electromagnetic radiation with materials relevant to nuclear systems.