Characterization and fretting wear behavior of zirconium alloy treated in high temperature water

Grid-to-rod fretting (GTRF) is the main factor leading to the failures of fuel rods in reactor. The oxide layer formed on pre-wear stage has a significant impact on the wear resistance of zirconium (Zr) alloys fuel cladding. In this research, Zr alloy was immersed in high-temperature water conditions for 30 days,110 days,145 days, and 195 days. The characterization and fretting wear behavior of oxide layer on Zr alloy were investigated. Results show that the oxide layer consists of t-ZrO2, m-ZrO2, and metal Zr. The thickness and hardness of oxide layer increases with the corrosion time increase. The fretting running region and F-D curve are dependent on the oxide layer. Compared with Zr alloy, the wear volume of oxide layer on Zr alloy is significantly reduced because the structure of oxide layer is dense with a high hardness, leading to that the oxide layer is not easy to be destroyed during the fretting. The wear mechanism of Zr alloy is adhesive wear, and the wear mechanism of oxide layer is abrasive wear.