Numerical evaluation of interface morphology and deposition temperature effects on stress distribution and coating failure in Cr2AlC-coated zirconium

Materials Today Communications, vol. 45, pp. 112422

Abstract

This study presents a finite element simulation approach using submodels to evaluate the effects of interface morphology and high-power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) deposition temperature on stress distribution and coating failure in Cr 2 AlC-coated zirconium, which is designed as the cladding tube system for nuclear power plants. For the numerical simulations, different interface morphologies of the coating system are constructed using the Gaussian distribution method. It ensures a close match between the simulations and experiments. Comparative analysis shows that rougher interfaces result in more significant stress concentrations after cooling due to mismatches between dimensions, shapes, and thermal properties. Under subsequent external loading, samples that undergo cooling fail earlier than those without experiencing cooling. In addition, for the same interface morphology, residual stress increases significantly at higher deposition temperatures, while fracture strain decreases slightly over the temperature range investigated. These findings provide a multi-scale investigation of Cr 2 AlC-coated zirconium systems and offer valuable insights for optimizing the coating process. By controlling substrate roughness and deposition temperature, the performance and adhesion of coated specimens can be effectively balanced. The reconstructed interface morphologies closely approximate realistic conditions, allowing standardized evaluation. The proposed method is accessible, reliable, and adaptable to various materials and coating systems.

Authors 5

1. Fuhui Shen corresponding Aachen Institute of Metal Forming

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Metal Forming, RWTH Aachen University, Intzestr. 10, Aachen 52072, Germany

2. Devi Janani Ramesh Aachen Material Chemistry

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Material Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Kopernikusstr. 10, Aachen 52074, Germany

3. Matej Fekete Aachen Material Chemistry

   Masaryk University · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Plasma Physics and Technology, Masaryk University, Koltářská 2, Brno 61137, Czech Republic

   Material Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Kopernikusstr. 10, Aachen 52074, Germany

4. Jochen M. Schneider Aachen Material Chemistry

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Material Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Kopernikusstr. 10, Aachen 52074, Germany

5. Sebastian Münstermann Aachen Institute of Metal Forming

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Metal Forming, RWTH Aachen University, Intzestr. 10, Aachen 52072, Germany