Zirconium-based alloys are being used as fuel cladding and structural materials for nuclear reactors since they have a good irradiation stability, corrosion resistance and acceptable mechanical properties in a reactor environment. Recently, more advanced zirconium-based alloys are required for enhanced operating conditions such as an increased burn-up and higher operation temperatures. Therefore, the development of advanced zirconium alloys for a fuel cladding is being progressed in various countries. Among the developed new zirconium alloys, a low NI) containing alloy series designed by China is a group of promising cladding material. For the new alloy system, optimum manufacturing processes are significant factors to improve properties and need urgently to be established. In this work, electron channeling contrast (ECC), secondary electron (SE) imaging and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analyzing techniques are employed to investigate the effect of pre-deformation following beta-quenching on recrystallization and precipitating behavior of a. new Zr-Sn-Nb alloy during aging. The results show that remarkable differences exist between the microstructure of specimens with and without pre-deformation prior to aging at the same temperature (650 degrees C). Specimens aged without pre-deformation present extremely heterogeneous recrystallized grains that generally own irregular shape. The size discrepancy between the intragranularly fine Zr(Fe, Cr, Nb)(2) precipitates and the larger ones; which is Cu-containing Zr3Fe particles and distribute along the conserved prior beta grain boundaries, are distinct. While for specimens aged following 20% pre-deformation, the recrystallized alpha-grains are evidently fined and homogenized. The size discrepancy between the two sorts of precipitates decrease as well and the larger ones change to distribute along recrystallized alpha-grain boundaries. Therefore, the introduction of pre-deformation is able to change markedly the characteristics of microstructure and second phase particles distribution and further be utilized to obtain preferred microstructure.
