HIGH-TEMPERATURE OXIDATION OF ZIRCONIUM HYDRIDE POWDERS

The oxidation kinetics of zirconium-hydride powders were studied in the temperature range of 298-1378 in air at atmospheric pressure. TG, DTA, DSC, x-ray analysis, and scanning electron microscopy were used. The results obtained are in accordance with the proposed pseudo-parabolic model of zirconium-hydride oxidation. This model includes the initial linear mode of oxide growth with oxygen diffusion through a non-solid film of ZrO2 of variable depth and a stationary diffusion process followed by oxide sintering. It has been established that the activation energy of the limiting stage of oxidation (238.3 kJ/mol) coincides with the activation energy of oxygen self-diffusion in monocline ZrO2.