Electrochemical behavior of passive zirconium alloys.

E. M. PATRITO; R. M. TORRESI; E. P. M. LEIVA; V. MACAGNO

ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 1992 vol. 37 p. 281 - 287

0013-4686

he potentiodynamic oxidation of zirconium, zircaloy-2 (Zry-2) and zircaloy-4 (Zry-4) was studied in the 0 V < V G 8 V potential range. Side reactions take place during the oxidation of Zry-2 and Zry-4 in phosphate electrolytes. With Zry-2, oxygen evolution occurs at bigb anodic potentials. Theoxidation of the alloys in nitric acid shows dissolution of their minor alloying elements but no oxygen evolution at bigb potentials. The role played by the alloying elements in connection with the appearance of side reactions is discussed. The oxide film were characterized by impedance measurements, X-rayphotoelectron spectroscopy and Auger spectroscopy