STUDY ON THE PRECIPITATES IN ZIRCALOY-4 BY MOSSBAUER-SPECTROSCOPY

Mossbauer spectroscopy of Fe-57 was used to study the content and stru cture of precipitates in different thermal-treated Zircaloy-4 specimen s. The spectra of Zircaloy-4 have two sets of peaks. One of them can b e ascribed to precipitates of intermetallic compound Zr(Cr,Fe)(2). The structure of the specimen is changed by thermal treatment. The area o f the Mossbauer peak is also changed. Content of Zr(Cr,Fe)(2) in a wat er quenched sample is the same as that in an as-received (50% cold wor ked) sample. The content of alloying element-iron in matrix between pr ecipitates is not an important factor which has an influence on corros ion resistance of Zircaloy-4. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.