Steam oxidation behavior of ZrO2/Cr-coated pure zirconium prepared by plasma electrolytic oxidation followed by filtered cathodic vacuum arc deposition.

• Mass gain of pure Zr at 900–1100 °C steam was reduced to 22–45% by ZrO 2 /Cr composite coating. • PEO interlayer suppressed hydrogen permeation into Zr substrate during steam oxidation. • Steam oxidation mechanisms of bare and ZrO 2 /Cr-coated pure Zr were discussed. Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) and filtered cathodic vacuum arc deposition (FCVAD) techniques were employed to fabricate a ZrO 2 /Cr composite coating on pure zirconium. The steam oxidation properties of bare and ZrO 2 /Cr-coated pure Zr were performed in water vapor environment at 900–1100 °C. Their morphologies, microstructures and phase constituents before and after steam oxidation were analyzed. Meanwhile, their composition depth profiles were measured by glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES). It was found that the mass gain of ZrO 2 /Cr-coated Zr was about 22–45% of that of bare Zr after 3600 s steam oxidation at 900–1100 °C, and the PEO and FCVAD composite treatments significantly improved the steam oxidation resistance of Zr. After steam oxidation, the phosphorous element in the outer layer of PEO film from phosphate electrolyte diffused into the residual Cr layer, however, most of the phosphorous in the interior of PEO layer was remained although the phosphorus diffusion in the region was accelerated with the increase of steam temperature. The ZrO 2 to Zr 3 O phase transformation in PEO intermediate layer occurred in high temperature steam. Furthermore, the PEO zirconia interlayer suppressed hydrogen permeation into the Zr substrate during steam oxidation at 900–1100 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]