On the chemical compatibility between Zr-4 substrate and well-bonded Cr2AlC coating

Accident tolerant fuel (ATF) for the light water reactor has gained wide attentions after the Fukushima accident. To enhance the accident-tolerance of the nuclear system, one strategy is to modify the Zr-based alloy cladding surface with advanced ceramic coating. In this work, monolithic and dense Cr2AlC coating has been synthesized by magnetron sputtering. The as-grown Cr2AlC coating exhibits good chemical compatibility with Zr-based alloy substrate as well as mechanical integrity under both pull-off and scratch tests. The coating system also presents moderate thermochemical compatibility at 800 °C but degrades above 1000 °C under simulated loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) conditions.