Abstract No.:
2625

 Scheduled at:
Thursday, September 29, 2011, Saal B2.1 4:25 PM
Plasma Spraying 3


 Title:
Zirconium and molybdenum diffusion barrier coatings for nuclear reactor fuel by thermal spray and electrospark discharge

 Authors:
Kendall Hollis* / Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA

 Abstract:
Zirconium and molybdenum metal coatings applied by plasma spraying and electrospark deposition (ESD) have been investigated for use as diffusion barrier coatings on low enrichment uranium fuel for research nuclear reactors. Diffusion barrier coatings are designed to prevent fuel structural damage from swelling which can result from the interaction of the uranium-molybdenum fuel with the aluminum fuel cladding. The coatings have been applied to both stainless steel as a surrogate and to simulated nuclear fuel U-Mo alloy substrates. Deposition parameter development accompanied by coating characterization has been performed. The structure of the plasma sprayed coating was shown to vary with transferred arc current during deposition. The structure of ESD coatings was shown to vary with the voltage and capacitance of the deposition arc.

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