Thin polycrystalline diamond films protecting zirconium alloys surfaces: From technology to layer analysis and application in nuclear facilities

By P. Ashcheulov and R.
Published in Applied Surface Science NULL 2015

Abstract

Zirconium alloys can be effectively protected against corrosion by polycrystalline diamond (PCD) layers grown in microwave plasma enhanced linear antenna chemical vapor deposition apparatus. Standard and hot steam oxidized \PCD\ layers grown on Zircaloy2 surfaces were examined and the specific impact of polycrystalline Zr substrate surface on \PCD\ layer properties was investigated. It was found that the presence of the \PCD\ coating blocks hydrogen diffusion into the Zircaloy2 surface and protects Zircaloy2 material from degradation. \PCD\ anticorrosion protection of Zircaloy2 can significantly prolong life of Zircaloy2 material in nuclear reactors even at temperatures above Zr phase transition temperatures.

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