Preparation of Multi-Component Coating on the Surface of Zirconium Hydride

Multi-component coatings on zirconium hydride were manufactured by gas-solid reaction. The oxidizing atmosphere was generated by urea decomposed into complicated chemical compound at high temperature. The phase structures, microstructure, elements depth profiles and binding energies of multi-component coatings were analyzed by XRD, SEM, AES and XPS, respectively. XRD shows the phase structure of the coatings consists mainly of ZrN and ZrO2, including monoclinic ZrO2 (m-ZrO2) and tetragonal ZrO2 (t-ZrO2). SEM depicts the coatings are formed densely and combined tightly. AES indicates the coatings are composed of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and zirconium elements, and outside-in distribution is carbon-nitrogen-enriched layer and oxygen-enriched layer. Meanwhile the atomic concentration of carbon and nitrogen decreases, while oxygen and zirconium increases continuously with increasing the sputtering time. XPS spectrum reveals coatings contain Zr-O, Zr-C, Zr-N-O, Zr-N and O-H bonds.