SEM and TEM study of dynamic recrystallisation of zirconium alloy

Fuel claddings of pressurised water reactor are made of zirconium alloys. They are the primary barriers between fuel pellets and the external environment. During service, claddings are irradiated and oxidised as well as hydrided because of the release of hydrogen during corrosion reaction. During transportation of spent fuel, temperature and stresses transients lead to the evolution of the microstructure of the fuel cladding. Recovery of the pre-existing dislocation introduced during cold working and even sometimes recrystallisation may occur. This work intends to study the microstructural evolution under such conditions through orientation mapping using Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) FEI TECNAI F20 G2 equipped with ACT device, a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) FEG LEO Supra 55 and a dual beam FEI Helios Nanolab both equipped with Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) and also 3D EBSD system Autoreveal in the case of the dualbeam.