KINETICALLY APPLIED GRADATED Zr-Al-C OR Ti-Al-C CERAMIC OR AMORPHOUS OR SEMI-AMORPHOUS STAINLESS STEEL WITH NUCLEAR GRADE ZIRCONIUM ALLOY METAL STRUCTURE

Abstract

A composition and method of kinetically depositing the composition to form a coating onto an exterior surface of a zirconium alloy cladding of a light water nuclear reactor which at least partially adheres to the exterior surface. The coating composition includes a first component and a second component. The first component is selected from the group consisting of zirconium, zirconium oxide and mixtures thereof. The second component is selected from the group consisting of Zr 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 3 AlC 2 ceramic, Al 2 O 3 , aluminum, zirconium silicide, amorphous and semi-amorphous alloyed stainless steel, and mixtures of Zr 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 2 AlC ceramic and Ti 3 AlC 2 ceramic. The coating has a gradient emanating from the exterior surface of the cladding toward an exposed outer surface of the coating such that percent by weight of the first component decreases and the second component increases from the exterior surface of the cladding toward the exposed outer surface of the coating.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A coating composition for kinetic deposition on an exterior surface of a zirconium alloy cladding to form a coating which at least partially adheres to said exterior surface, the zirconium alloy cladding inherently having a zirconium oxide-containing layer thereon, the coating composition comprises:
 a first component selected from the group consisting of zirconium, zirconium oxide and mixtures thereof; and   a second component selected from the group consisting of Zr 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 3 AlC 2  ceramic, Al 2 O 3 , aluminum, zirconium silicide, amorphous or semi-amorphous alloyed stainless steel, and mixtures of Zr 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 2 AlC ceramic and Ti 3 AlC 2  ceramic,   wherein, the coating formed by the coating composition has a gradient emanating from the exterior surface of the cladding toward an exposed outer surface of the coating such that percent by weight of the first component decreases from the exterior surface of the cladding toward the exposed outer surface of the coating and percent by weight of the second component increases from the exterior surface of the cladding to the exposed outer surface of the coating, based on total weight of the coating composition.   
     
     
         2 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the coating at least partially penetrates the zirconium oxide-containing layer. 
     
     
         3 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is formed by one or more passes of a kinetic deposition technique. 
     
     
         4 . The coating composition of  claim 3 , wherein a first pass may include kinetically depositing the coating composition to form a first layer which comprises from about 75% to about 100% by weight of the first component and from about 0% to about 25% by weight of the second component based on total weight of the coating composition. 
     
     
         5 . The coating composition of  claim 3 , wherein a final pass may include kinetically depositing the coating composition to form the exposed outer surface which comprises from about 75% to about 100% by weight of the second component and from about 0% to about 25% by weight of the first component based on total weight of the coating composition. 
     
     
         6 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the coating composition mixes with the zirconium oxide-containing layer to form an integrated layer. 
     
     
         7 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is from about 5 to about 100 micrometers in thickness. 
     
     
         8 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is from about 5 to about 50 micrometers in thickness. 
     
     
         9 . A coated zirconium alloy cladding, comprising:
 an uncoated zirconium alloy cladding;   a zirconium oxide-containing layer existing on the uncoated zirconium alloy cladding;   a coating having a gradient and a thickness, applied to the uncoated zirconium alloy cladding with the zirconium oxide-containing layer existing thereon, the coating comprising:
 a first component selected from the group consisting of zirconium, zirconium oxide and mixtures thereof; and 
 a second component selected from the group consisting of Zr 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 3 AlC 2  ceramic, Al 2 O 3 , aluminum, zirconium silicide, amorphous or semi-amorphous alloyed stainless steel, and mixtures of Zr 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 2 AlC ceramic and Ti 3 AlC 2  ceramic, 
   wherein, the thickness of the coating emanates from the exterior surface of the cladding toward an exposed outer surface of the coating, such that percent by weight of the first component decreases from the exterior surface of the cladding toward the exposed outer surface of the coating, and percent by weight of the second component increases from the exterior surface of the cladding to the exposed outer surface of the coating, to form the gradient.   
     
     
         10 . The coated zirconium alloy cladding of  claim 9 , wherein the coating at least partially penetrates the zirconium oxide-containing layer. 
     
     
         11 . The coated zirconium alloy cladding of  claim 9 , wherein the coating is formed by one or more passes of a kinetic deposition technique. 
     
     
         12 . The coated zirconium alloy cladding of  claim 11 , wherein a first pass includes depositing the coating to form a first layer which comprises from about 75% to about 100% by weight of the first component and from about 0% to about 25% by weight of the second component based on total weight. 
     
     
         13 . The coated zirconium alloy cladding of  claim 11 , wherein a final pass includes depositing the coating to form the exposed outer surface which comprises from about 75% to about 100% by weight of the second component and from about 0% to about 25% by weight of the first component based on total weight. 
     
     
         14 . The coated zirconium alloy cladding of  claim 9 , wherein a portion of the coating mixes with the zirconium oxide-containing layer to form an integrated layer. 
     
     
         15 . The coated zirconium alloy cladding of  claim 9 , wherein the coating is from about 5 to about 100 micrometers in thickness. 
     
     
         16 . The coated zirconium alloy cladding of  claim 9 , wherein the coating is from about 5 to about 50 micrometers in thickness.