Effects of interstitial impurities on the high pressure martensitic α to ω structural transformation and grain growth in zirconium.

Static high pressure diamond anvil cell experiments were performed on three polycrystalline Zr samples having varying interstitial impurity concentrations. Systematic increase in transition pressure with the increase in the amount of interstitial impurities is observed for the martensitic α →ω structural phase transition in Zr. Significant room temperature crystal grain growth is also observed for the two highest purity samples at the α →ω transition. In the case of the lowest purity sample interstitial impurities obstruct the α →ω transition, while possibly helping impede grain growth-even as the sample is heated to 1279 K.