Investigation of mechanical and microstructural properties of Zircaloy-4 under different experimental conditions

The α-annealed Zircaloy-4 contained secondary chemical phases such as hydrides, martensites, and Laves phase. These secondary phases showed interaction with defects-line dislocations, dislocation loops, and dislocation channeling-deleteriously affecting the mechanical properties of the material, especially in its hydrogen-charged tungsten inert gas (TIG) welded form and after neutron irradiation.389