General Electric Company

Bo C Cheng

Ronald B Adamson

Herman S Rosenbaum

A composite nuclear fuel container for service in water cooled nuclear fission reactor plants having improved resistance to corrosion, and a method of producing same. The invention comprises each component of the fuel container being of specific compositions which have been heat treated to transform their microcrystalline structure in such a manner to optimize the corrosion resistance of each component of the fuel container.

Composite nuclear fuel container and method for producing same

A corrosion resistant zirconium alloy is comprised of, in weight percent, about 0.1 to less than 0.5 percent bismuth, about 0.1 to less than 0.5 percent niobium, and the balance substantially zirconium. Preferably, niobium is about 0.1 to 3 weight percent. The alloys have improved corrosion resistance as compared to the moderate-purity sponge zirconium while maintaining a ductility comparable to sponge zirconium.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Bo C Cheng