EFFECT OF Y ADDITION TO ISOTHERMAL OXIDATION BEHAVIOUR OF ZR-1SN-1NB AT TEMPERATURE 650OC AND 800OC

• Main Author: Akbar, Faizol
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/63757
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Demand of energy will increase as growing of human population as well as emission that produced. Emission from nuclear power plant is proven far less than emission from fossil fuel. To increase nuclear power plant efficiency, the quality of every component must be upgraded. Nuclear fuel cladding is one of the important components of nuclear power plant which operate on extreme condition. Zirconium alloy is well known for fuel cladding material because of their characteristics such as high corrosion resistance and good mechanical properties as well as low neutron absorb value. Alloying element which researched is yttrium because of high melting point and low neutron absorb value. The research is based on modification of Zr based alloy Zr-1Sn-Nb using addition of yttium to upgrade isothermal oxidation resistance. This research was conducted by adding 1%wt of yttrium the observed its behaviour on isothermal oxidation. Testing was conducted at air environment using temperature 650oC and 800oC in 16 hours period. Sample product of testing will be observed their oxide layer thickness and addition of mass by area. Then sample characterized using optical microscope, XRD and SEM-EDS to determine their microstructure, formed phases and spread of elements. Oxidation kinetics was observed by changing of sample mass by area. Addition of alloying elements yttrium was showing increase of grain size as ? phase stabilizer. Mechanism of oxidation is relatively same at two different sample composition. Phases formed relatively same which showed formation of ZrN and ZrO2 phases at the surface of sample. Addition of yttirum can reduce the oxidation rate and increase oxidation resistance at various temperatures. Oxidation which occurs at 650oC shows linier oxidation and oxidation which occur at 800oC shows logaritmic oxidation all same at various composition.