In Situ Raman Spectroscopic Investigation of Zirconium-Niobium Alloy Corrosion Under Hydrothermal Conditions

Published

October 1, 2001

Author(s)

James E. Maslar, Wilbur S. Hurst, Walter J. Bowers Jr., Jay H. Hendricks

Abstract

In situ Raman spectroscopy was employed to investigate corrosion of a zirconium-niobium alloy in air-saturated water at a pressure of 15.5 MPa and temperatures ranging from 22 to 407 C in an optically accessible flow cell. Monoclinic ZrO₂ (m-ZrO₂) was identified under all conditions after the coupon was heated to 255 C for 19 h. Cubic ZrO₂ (c-ZrO₂) was tentatively identified in situ during heating at temperatures between 306 and 407 C, but was not observed under any other conditions. Species tentatively identified as α-CrOOH and a Cr^VI and/or Cr^III/Cr^VI compound were observed in situ during heating at temperatures between 255 and 407 C, but were not observed under any other conditions. The chromium compounds were identified as corrosion products released from the optical cell and/or flow system.

Citation

Journal of Nuclear Materials

Volume

298

Issue

No. 3

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

aqueous corrosion, corrosion product release, hydrothermal oxidation, in situ optical spectroscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, zircnium, zirconium oxide, zirconium-niobium, ZrO2

Citation

Maslar, J. , Hurst, W. , Bowers, W. and Hendricks, J. (2001), In Situ Raman Spectroscopic Investigation of Zirconium-Niobium Alloy Corrosion Under Hydrothermal Conditions, Journal of Nuclear Materials (Accessed October 8, 2025)