Nanocrystalline diamond protects Zr cladding surface against oxygen and hydrogen uptake : Nuclear fuel durability enhancement

In this work, we demonstrate and describe an effective method of protecting zirconium fuel cladding against oxygen and hydrogen uptake at both accident and working temperatures in water-cooled nuclear reactor environments. Zr alloy samples were coated with nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) layers of different thicknesses, grown in a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus. In addition to showing that such an NCD layer prevents the Zr alloy from directly interacting with water, we show that carbon released from the NCD film enters the underlying Zr material and changes its properties, such that uptake of oxygen and hydrogen is significantly decreased. After 100–170 days of exposure to hot water at 360 °C, the oxidation of the NCD-coated Zr plates was typically decreased by 40%. Protective NCD layers may prolong the lifetime of nuclear cladding and consequently enhance nuclear fuel burnup. NCD may also serve as a passive element for nuclear safety. NCD-coated ZIRLO claddings have been selected as a candidate for Accident Tolerant Fuel in commercially operated reactors in 2020

Monitoring of peptide induced disruption of artificial lipid membrane constructed on boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

With the rise of antibiotic resistance of pathogenic bacteria there is an increased demand for monitoring of the functionality of bacteria membranes, whose disruption can be induced by peptide-lipid interactions. In this work we attempt to monitor formation and subsequent peptide induced disruption of supported lipid membranes (SLBs) on boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (B-NCD). Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) was used to study in situ changes related to lipid membrane formation and disruption by peptide-induced interactions. The observed impedance changes were minimal for oxidized B-NCD samples. The sensitivity for the detection of membrane formation and disruption was significantly higher for hydrogenated B-NCD surfaces. Data modelling indicates large differences in the structure of electrical double layer at the B-NCD/SLB interface for hydrogen and oxygen terminated B-NCD surfaces. For oxidized B-NCD surfaces, EIS changes are negligible. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.status: publishe