In order to investigate the ion irradiation effect on the corrosion resistance of zircaloy 4

specimens were irradiated by Ar+ ions using an accelerator of 150 keV at a dose range from 3×1013 to 1×1017 /cm2 and at liquid nitrogen temperature. Post-irradiation corrosion tests were conducted by potentiodynamic polarization measurement in a 0.5 mol/L H2SO4 water solution at room temperature. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was employed to examine the change of microstructures in the irradiated surface. The potentiodynamic tests showed that with the irradiation dose increasing

the surface passive current density underwent three stages: increased

decreased and increased once again. The mechanism of the corrosion resistance transformation was attributed to defect accumulation

amorphous phase formation and recrystallinization in the irradiated surface.