zircaloyn.
/ˈzəːkəlɔɪ/, U.S. /ˈzərkəˌlɔɪ/ Any of several alloys of zirconium with tin and other metals, used chiefly as cladding for nuclear fuel rods. Frequently with following numeral specifying a particular alloy.
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society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > metal > alloy > [noun] > other alloys of tin
steel1662
potin1741
queen's metal1785
tutania1790
Britannia metal1800
babbitt metal1850
babbitt1866
zircaloy1953
1953 J. W. Holladay et al. Core Shape of Fuel Elements Clad with Zirconium Alloy (Battelle Memorial Inst.) 9 This 2.5 wt % tin alloy is now referred to as Zircaloy 1.
1963 H. R. Clauser Encycl. Engin. Materials 769/1 Zircaloy resists corrosion very well in high-temperature water and steam.
1977 J. H. Schemel ASTM Man. Zirconium & Hafnium (ASTM Special Technical Publ. No. 639) i. 6 Zircaloy is used to designate a series of zirconium, tin, iron, chromium, nickel alloys developed by the U.S. Navy Nuclear Propulsion Program for nuclear service in water-cooled reactors. Zircaloy-1 and Zircaloy-3 are obsolete. Zircaloy-2 and Zircaloy-4 are the most commonly used alloys in nuclear service.
2017 B. J. Lewis et al. Fund. Nucl. Engin. iv. 197 PWRs [= pressurized water reactors] traditionally use Zircaloy-4 for the fuel cladding.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2021; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1953