Corrosion of amorphous and nanocrystalline Zr-based alloys

Due to the high potential of Zirconium and Zr-based alloys regarding corrosion it is of interest to develop even better Zr-based alloys as well as to improve the understanding of their corrosion mechanisms. Production techniques such as rapid quenching and mechanical alloying are used for the design of amorphous or nanocrystalline materials and give the possibility to improve Zr-based alloys, not only by alloying, but also by changing the microstructure. Corrosion of metallic alloys is strongly influenced by the alloying elements as well as by their microstructure. The aim of this paper is to review the current knowledge on the design and corrosion of nanocrystalline Zr-based alloys in comparison to amorphous and crystalline materials. Based on these results, trends for further research and expectation of an improved corrosion behavior of nanocrystalline alloys are outlined. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.