Nuclear Microprobe Methods for Investigation of the Corrosion of Zircaloy-2 and an Fe--44Ni--17CrAlloy (PE-16)

Nuclear microprobe analysis has been established as a suitable technique for investigation of the oxidative corrosion of Zircaloy-2 and PE-16. The determination of oxygen spatial distributions by the reaction16O(d,p)17O has been examined in detail. Suitable calibration procedures have been found for the measurement of oxygen in the concentration range 0.01-35%. A means of correcting for interference by surface oxide films has been introduced. The extent of interference by nitrogen and boron has been established. In the examination of PE-16, the reaction 12C(d,p)13C was used to measure carbon and deuteron- generated X-rays to measure Cr and Ti. 23 ref.--AA