Aqueous corrosion behavior of zirconium subjected to high-energy krypton-ion bombardment

Abstract In order to study the influences of high-energy krypton ions bombardment on the aqueous corrosion behavior of zirconium, specimens were implanted by krypton ions with a dose range from 1×10 15 to 3×10 16  ions/cm 2 at about 40 °C, using implanter at an extracted voltage of 300 kV. The valence of the surface layer was analyzed by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS); the thickness of the oxide film was measured by Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES). TEM was employed to examine the change of morphology and structure. The potentiodynamic polarization measurement was employed to value the aqueous corrosion resistance of zirconium in a 1 N H 2 SO 4 solution. It was found that the corrosion resistance of samples irradiated by Kr ions declined compared with as-received zirconium. The bigger the doses the worse the corrosion resistance. Finally, the mechanism of the corrosion behavior of the Kr ions bombarded zirconium is discussed.