Zirconium-based alloys have served the nuclear industry for several decades due to their acceptable properties for nuclear cores of light water reactors (LWRs). However, severe accidents in LWRs have directed research and development of accident tolerant fuel (ATF) concepts that aim to improve nuclear fuel safety during normal operation, operational transients and possible accident scenarios. This review introduces the latest results in the development of protective coatings for ATF claddings based on Zr alloys, involving their behavior under normal and accident conditions in LWRs. Great attention has been paid to the protection and oxidation mechanisms of coated claddings, as well as to the mutual interdiffusion between coatings and zirconium alloys. An overview of recent developments in barrier coatings is introduced, and possible barrier layers and structure designs for suppressing mutual diffusion are proposed.

Biocompatible poly(lactide-co-glycolide) scaffolds fabricated via electrospinning are having promising properties as implants for the regeneration of fast-growing tissues, which are able to degrade in the body. The hereby-presented research work investigates the surface modification of these scaffolds in order to improve antibacterial properties of this type of scaffolds, as it can increase their application possibilities in medicine. Therefore, the scaffolds were surface-modified by means of pulsed direct current magnetron co-sputtering of copper and titanium targets in an inert atmosphere of argon. In order to obtain different amounts of copper and titanium in the resulting coatings, three different surface-modified scaffold samples were produced by changing the magnetron sputtering process parameters. The success of the antibacterial properties’ improvement was tested with the methicillin-resistant bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, the resulting cell toxicity of the surface modification by copper and titanium was examined using mouse embryonic and human gingival fibroblasts. As a result, the scaffold samples surface-modified with the highest copper to titanium ratio show the best antibacterial properties and no toxicity against mouse fibroblasts, but have a toxic effect to human gingival fibroblasts. The scaffold samples with the lowest copper to titanium ratio display no antibacterial effect and toxicity. The optimal poly(lactide-co-glycolide) scaffold sample is surface-modified with a medium ratio of copper and titanium that has antibacterial properties and is non-toxic to both cell cultures.

Titanium, its alloys, and refractory compounds are often used in the compositions of surfacing materials. In particular, under the conditions of electron-beam surfacing the use of synthesized composite powder based on titanium carbide with a metal binder (TiC-Me) has a positive effect. These powders have been prepared via the self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) present in a thermally-inert metal binder. The initial carbide particle distribution changes slightly in the surfacing layer in the high-energy rapid process of electron-beam surfacing. However, these methods also have their limitations. The development of technologies and equipment using low-energy sources is assumed. In this case, the question of the structure formation of composite materials based on titanium carbide remains open, if a low-energy and prolonged impact in additive manufacturing will be used. This work reports the investigation of the sintered powders that were previously synthesized by the layerwise combustion mode of a mixture of titanium, carbon black, and metal binders of various types. The problems of structure formation during vacuum sintering of multi-component powder materials obtained as a result of SHS are considered. The microstructure and dependences of the sintered composites densification on the sintering temperature and the composition of the SH-synthesized powder used are presented. It has been shown that under the conditions of the nonstoichiometric synthesized titanium carbide during subsequently vacuum sintering an additional alloy formation occurs that can lead to a consolidation (shrinkage) or volumetric growth of sintered TiC-Me composite depending on the type of metal matrix used.

We suggest a mathematical model for electron-beam assisted deposition of protective coatings that involves the equations of heat conduction, chemical kinetics, and porosity evolution. The...