General information
Organisation
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a key player in research, development and innovation in four main areas :
• defence and security,
• nuclear energy (fission and fusion),
• technological research for industry,
• fundamental research in the physical sciences and life sciences.
Drawing on its widely acknowledged expertise, and thanks to its 16000 technicians, engineers, researchers and staff, the CEA actively participates in collaborative projects with a large number of academic and industrial partners.
The CEA is established in ten centers spread throughout France
Reference
SL-DES-25-0140
Thesis topic details
Category
Engineering science
Thesis topics
oxygen ordering in zirconium: mechanisms, kinetics and associated mechanical properties
Contract
Thèse
Job description
The aim of this work is to study the properties of binary zirconium-oxygen (Zr-O) alloys, particularly in the context of nuclear applications. Traditionally, oxygen is considered to be in solid solution in the zirconium matrix, without the formation of ordered compounds such as Zr6O or Zr3O. However, recent studies suggest that at temperatures below 600°C, ordered compounds can form, affecting the solubility limit of oxygen. These compounds, observed after heat treatments, could modify the mechanical properties of Zr-O alloys, particularly at room temperature and up to 350°C. The proposed thesis seeks to understand these mechanisms through X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy experiments, in order to study the arrangement of oxygen, the thermal stability of the compounds and their impact on plastic deformation. The aim is to optimise the use of these alloys in nuclear reactors.
University / doctoral school
Ingénierie des Systèmes, Matériaux, Mécanique, Energétique (ISMME)
Paris Sciences et Lettres
Thesis topic location
Site
Saclay
Requester
Position start date
01/10/2025
Person to be contacted by the applicant
Guillou Raphaëlle 
raphaelle.guillou@cea.fr
CEA
DES/DRMP//LA2M
Batiment 453 pièce 18A
91191 Gif sur yvette
0169084702
Tutor / Responsible thesis director
PRIMA Frédéric frederic-prima@chimie-paristech.fr
CNRS
Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Surfaces (UMR 7045)-Groupe de Metallurgie Structurale
Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Surfaces (UMR 7045)
Groupe de Métallurgie Structurale
Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Paris
11 rue Pierre et Marie Curie
75231 Paris cedex 05
01 44 27 67 09
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