A group of high-performance alloys composed primarily of zirconium, alloyed with small amounts of tin, iron, chromium or nickel. These metals are engineered to have an extremely low absorption cross-section for thermal neutrons, making them transparent to nuclear chain reactions. They also offer exceptional resistance to corrosion from high-pressure, high-temperature water.
Heard on the job
The fuel pellets are loaded into zircaloy cladding tubes before being bundled into assemblies.
Insider tip
Zircaloy is prone to hydriding if exposed to hydrogen gas at high temperatures, which causes severe embrittlement.