Change in chemical constitution of a zirconium sample treated at the simulated condition of a pressurized water reactor (water at 315°C and 15.5 MPa) was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. We observed swelling of the zirconium sample as well as the change in its color from silver to gray treated after the pressurized water at high temperature. On the basis of XRD and Raman data, we confirmed that the variation in composition of zirconium specimen from hexagonal Zr to monoclinic ZrO2 occurred at the simulated PWR condition. Therefore, we suggested that the oxidation of zirconium appeared due to the reaction with water at high temperature and pressure, as shown in the following reaction: Zr + 2H2O → ZrO2 + 2H2.

• Yeon Ju Lee(Yeungnam University)
• Young-Sang Youn(Yeungnam University) Corresponding author