Understanding the structural evolution and reduction-oxidation behavior of nuclear fuel and cladding during operation is essential for predicting performance during and after service in light water reactors. Using TEM/STEM imaging of cross-sections of the fuel-cladding oxide interface region of high burnup BWR fuel, fission recoil radiation was demonstrated to not only stabilize the tetragonal phase of ZrO 2 at temperatures well below the equilibrium temperature, but also to cause grain growth proportional to the fission recoil radiation damage. The tetragonal phase ZrO 2 was exclusively present (no monoclinic phase) only in the region where fission product metal particles were found (∼6 μm depth).
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Lach et al. (2019) studied this question.
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