Recrystallization Rate Measurement Method of Zirconium Alloy Cladding of Nuclear Fuel Rod Using EBSD Pattern Quality

A recrystallization rate measurement method of zirconium alloy cladding of a nuclear fuel rod, the method comprising:

• irradiating SEM electron beams at a given scanning interval onto a completely recrystallized first specimen, a partially recrystallized second specimen to be measured for recrystallization rate, and an as-deformed third specimen which were electropolished and obtaining electron backscattered signals therefrom by an EBSD camera (step 1);
• converting the electron backscattered signals obtained from the first specimen to the third specimen into pattern quality values, respectively, by using an EBSD software and generating the pattern quality values as frequencies by a specified interval (step 2);
• obtaining pattern quality frequencies (B+D) deviated from the frequency distribution of the third specimen among a whole frequency distribution of the second specimen, and pattern quality frequencies (D+E) deviated from the frequency distribution of the third specimen among a whole frequency distribution of the first specimen (step 3);
• and
• obtaining the recrystallization rate of the second specimen with an equation of
• X
• ′
• =
• (
• B
• +
• D
• )
• (
• D
• +
• E
• )
• ×
• 100
• ,
• %
• (step 4).