Non-zirconium materials, such as silicon carbide (SiC) and FeCrAl alloys, have attracted interest for developing Accident-Tolerant Fuel (ATF) cladding systems owing to their superior hightemperature oxidation resistance. SiC offers excellent thermal stability, high-temperature properties, irradiation tolerance, and low activation, while FeCrAl alloys provide outstanding oxidation resistance in steam and air through a stable alumina (Al2O3) layer. This study examines their oxidation behavior under simulated severe-accident conditions. Microstructural changes and mechanical integrity after exposure were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ring compression tests (RCT). The analysis revealed material-specific strengths and limitations, emphasizing the role of temperature and oxidation environment.
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Endrychová et al. (2025) studied this question.
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