Abstract:
Oxidation of an alloy of zirconium and 1% niobium in air at atmospheric pressure and temperatures of 480–1000$^\circ$C is investigated by a thermogravimetric method. It is found that, over the entire temperature range studied, the oxidation process can be described with high accuracy by a linear dependence on time. In experiments, a periodic variation of the oxidation rate with time is observed. The oxide layer formed on the surface of the specimen in lengthy oxidation is occupied by a network of deep, predominantly longitudinal and transverse cracks.
