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<p>The purpose of this study is to develop a long-term protective coating for zirconium alloy nuclear fuel cladding to enhance its safety under high-temperature accident conditions, such as a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA). A dense ZrO<sub>2</sub> interlayer was first fabricated on the zirconium alloy substrate via an in situ pre-oxidation method. By optimizing the target current (100, 120, and 150 A) in the multi-arc ion plating process and analysing the resultant coating roughness, hardness, and microstructure, we determined that 100 A was the optimal parameter for depositing a dense and flat Cr overlayer. Accordingly, a ZrO<sub>2</sub>/Cr composite coating was constructed. High-temperature oxidation tests at 800–1200&#xa0;°C demonstrated that the mass gain of the composite coating was significantly lower than that of both the bare zirconium alloy and a single-layer Cr coating. Microscopic analysis revealed that at temperatures of 1000&#xa0;°C and below, the ZrO<sub>2</sub> interlayer effectively blocked Cr/Zr interdiffusion and oxygen inward diffusion, thereby inhibiting the formation of brittle phases and stabilizing the coating structure. At 1200&#xa0;°C, although interdiffusion was initiated, the coating exhibited only controlled local oxidation, preventing catastrophic failure. In conclusion, the introduction of a ZrO<sub>2</sub> interlayer significantly improves the high-temperature oxidation resistance of the Cr coating, providing an effective strategy for developing advanced accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) coatings.</p>

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Improved High-Temperature Oxidation Resistance of Zirconium Alloy via a Cr Coating on a ZrO2 Interlayer Deposited by Multi-Arc Ion Plating

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月28日

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  • Yanhui Zhu,
  • Xiang Liu,
  • Jifu Zhang,
  • Bojie Wang

摘要

The purpose of this study is to develop a long-term protective coating for zirconium alloy nuclear fuel cladding to enhance its safety under high-temperature accident conditions, such as a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA). A dense ZrO2 interlayer was first fabricated on the zirconium alloy substrate via an in situ pre-oxidation method. By optimizing the target current (100, 120, and 150 A) in the multi-arc ion plating process and analysing the resultant coating roughness, hardness, and microstructure, we determined that 100 A was the optimal parameter for depositing a dense and flat Cr overlayer. Accordingly, a ZrO2/Cr composite coating was constructed. High-temperature oxidation tests at 800–1200 °C demonstrated that the mass gain of the composite coating was significantly lower than that of both the bare zirconium alloy and a single-layer Cr coating. Microscopic analysis revealed that at temperatures of 1000 °C and below, the ZrO2 interlayer effectively blocked Cr/Zr interdiffusion and oxygen inward diffusion, thereby inhibiting the formation of brittle phases and stabilizing the coating structure. At 1200 °C, although interdiffusion was initiated, the coating exhibited only controlled local oxidation, preventing catastrophic failure. In conclusion, the introduction of a ZrO2 interlayer significantly improves the high-temperature oxidation resistance of the Cr coating, providing an effective strategy for developing advanced accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) coatings.