b'Cr-Coated Characterization of Zircaloy-4 CladdingsPrincipal Investigator: Tim GraeningTeam members/ Collaborators:Kory Linton, Nathan Capps, Ben Garrison, Ken Kane, Peter Mouche, Ryan Sweet, and Andy NelsonCr-coated Zircaloy-4A ccident Tolerant Fuel (ATF)Project Description:concepts have been developedThe objective of this research is to tubes have beenand tested in diverse researchdevelop and investigate Cr-coated produced to facilitate anprograms presently around theZircaloy claddings to identify and improved understandingworld. Industry teams have developedovercome current knowledge gaps. of the relationshipproprietary coating compositionsClosing those gaps ultimately enables between coatingand geometries, but significantus to simulate and understand the properties, architecture,knowledge gaps exist in terms of thecoated cladding behavior inside a and defects and overallresulting properties of the coatingreactor under normal operation and cladding performance. and the cladding and how thoseduring accident scenarios. The first components impact each other instep towards that goal is to provide reactor conditions. Furthermore, thean initial assessment of the most national laboratory and universityimportant coating properties and teams currently studying the industrythe experimental methods available concepts are limited in their ability tofor their determination. An extensive freely disseminate and discuss resultsliterature study was conducted to obtained on commercial coatings.develop standardized property require-The Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC)ments, measurement methods, and is therefore working to developreporting guidance for coated fuel an understanding of how coatingscladdings. Most critically, the manufac-applied to zirconium cladding alloysturing of a non-proprietary Cr coating impact a broad range of performanceis needed to facilitate microstructural factors including fundamentalexaminations, characterization of properties, steady state performance,baseline mechanical properties, and to and transient test conditions. Thesesupply materials for transient testing capabilities and experience will enableand eventual irradiation testing. Coated improved fundamental understandingcladding manufacturing employs many of coating behaviors and strengthendifferent coating methods, which all AFCs ability to support Nuclear Regu- result in different properties. All three latory Commission (NRC) to licenseATF industry teams include coated Zr coated Zr cladding concepts. concepts in their portfolio, but the 62 2021|AFC ACCOMPLISHMENTS'