Investigation of Textures of α-Zirconium and Zirconium Alloy by Neutron and X-Ray Diffraction

The textures of three samples of zirconium alloys were compared with the textures of seven samples of alpha-zirconium deformed at 300 degrees C under uniaxial tension from 5 to 30% (strain step 5%). Texture measurements by neutron diffraction were performed on a KSN-2 neutron diffractometer located at the LVR-15 research reactor of the Research Centre Rez, Czech Republic. X-ray measurements were performed on a theta/theta X'Pert PRO diffractometer with a Cr tube. The observed data were processed by the GSAS and X'Pert Texture software packages. The (100) and (110) plane poles are found to be oriented parallel to the rolling direction for samples of both types. In all samples, the (102) and (103) planes are predominantly perpendicular to the normal direction. A more significant tilt of the basal poles from the normal direction to the transverse one was observed in alpha-zirconium. Consequently, zirconium alloying creates an ideal texture with respect to zirconium hydride formation. Zirconium alloying is reflected in a decrease in the overall texture sharpness. Doping of zirconium is reflected in a decrease in the overall sharpness of the texture. The results obtained are characteristic of zirconium.