Further Studies Defining the Aqueous Corrosion Performance of a Zirconium-Niobium-Copper Alloy^★ Available to Purchase

Additional experiments were performed to further explore the influence of heat treatment upon the corrosion performance of a Zr + 2.5% Nb + 0.5% Cu alloy. Heat treating in the alpha plus beta region followed by rapid cooling to room temperature and a subsequent anneal at 1000 F (537.8 C) yields a material with high corrosion resistance in 600 and 680 F (315.6 and 360.0 C) water. The corrosion resistance increases with increasing cooling rate from the α + β region prior to the α anneal. On the other hand, hydrogen pickup was found to increase with increasing cooling rate. The hydrogen absorption rate of the material heat treated for high corrosion resistance was found to be particularly poor in 600 F water.