Mechanistic Understanding of Zirconium Oxidation

Dual Phd Programme with University of Liverpool and the National Tsing Hua University:
The PhD student will spend 2 years studying at the University of Liverpool and 2 years at National Tsing Hua University under the bilaterally agreed 2+2 scheme between the two institutions. The expertise developed at National Tsing Hua University and the University of Liverpool will be transferred between them, to the benefit of both institutions.

Summary of Project
Corrosion of Zr alloys is a life-limiting issue for some nuclear reactors but is not well understood. Initial oxide growth rates are often observed to be periodic followed by more rapid linear behaviour (‘breakaway oxidation’). The periodic behaviour is believed to be related to oxide structure and stress distributions.

Synchrotron measurements coupled with transmission electron microscopy will be used to characterise these parameters in a series of corroded Zircaloy samples. The microstructural observations will help underpin an improved mechanistic understanding of the degradation processes.