Corrosion behavior of non-equilibrium Zr-Sn-Nb-Fe-Cu-O alloys in high-temperature 0.01 M LiOH aqueous solution and degradation of the surface oxide films

This work uses qualitative analyses to investigate the corrosion behavior of two non-equilibrium Zr-Sn-Nb-Fe-Cu-O alloys in 0.01 M LiOH aqueous solution at 360 °C/18.6 MPa. Precipitates of second-phase particles (SPPs) and local recrystallization in the matrix are observed near the oxide/metal interface during extended periods of corrosion. Oxides formed on both alloys exhibit different hardness and gradually degrade. The oxides embedded with more SPPs show a lower hardness and therefore break down earlier. The variations of non-equilibrium microstructures of the substrates influence the properties of the oxides, thereby determining the corrosion performance of the alloys.