Zirconium alloys produced by recycling zircaloy tunings

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 578; pp. 553 - 558
• Main Authors: Gamba, N.S., Carbajal-Ramos, I.A., Ulla, M.A., Pierini, B.T., Gennari, F.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 25.11.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alloys; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Hydrides; Materials science; Materials synthesis; materials processing; Mechanical milling; Metal hydrides; Microstructure; Physics; Recycled; Solid solutions; Titanium; Tuning; Zircaloy; Zirconium; Zirconium base alloys; Titanium; Zirconium; Hydrides; Mechanical milling; Zircaloy; Thermal decomposition; Metal powder; Chip; Mechanical alloying; Heat treatments; BCC lattices; Solid solutions; Ductile-brittle transitions; Cold working; Microstructure
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2013.07.025

[Display omitted] •Zr–Ti alloys were successfully produced by two-step procedure.•Zircaloy tunings were used as a valuable source of Zr.•Zircaloy tunings and Ti powders was milled under hydrogen to produce hydride powders.•Hydride powders were decomposed by heating at 900°C to synthesize the Zr-based alloy.•The procedure could be extended to the production of other Zr-based alloys. Zircaloy chips were recycled to successfully produce Zr–Ti alloys with bcc structure and different compositions. The procedure developed involves two steps. First, the reactive mechanical alloying (RMA) of the zircaloy tunings and Ti powders was performed to produce metal hydride powders, with a high refinement of the microstructure and a Zr–Ti homogeneous composition. Second, the metal hydride powders were thermally decomposed by heating up to 900°C to synthesize the Zr-based alloy with a selected composition. The change in the nature of the powders from ductile to brittle during milling avoids both cold working phenomena between the metals and the use of a control agent. A minimum milling time is necessary to produce the solid solution with the selected composition. The microstructure and structure of the final alloys obtained was studied. The present procedure could be extended to the production of Zr-based alloys with the addition of other metals different from Ti.