Abstract:Accident-tolerant fuel can significantly enhance the capability of light-water nuclear reactors to withstand core melting under LOCA, is a revolutionary development of nuclear fuel technology and nuclear power safety. Cr-coating deposited on the current Zr-based nuclear fuel cladding demonstrates good adhesion, excellent corrosion resistance in high-temperature and high pressure water, and high-temperature oxidation resistance. Therefore, Cr-coated zirconium alloys emerge as the most promising ATF solution for practical engineering application in nearest future. The present paper reviews the research progress on oxidation behavior of Cr-coated zirconium alloy in high-temperature steam environment. The oxidation kinetics of the Cr coating, the effect of microstructure on the anti-oxidation performance of the Cr coating, the failure mechanism of the Cr coating after long-term oxidation and the Cr-Zr interdiffusion behavior are discussed. Additionally, strategies for enhancing the anti-oxidation performance of the Cr coating and suppressing Cr-Zr interdiffusion are summarized, and future development directions are prospected, aiming to provide references for the optimization design and engineering application of Cr-coated Zr-based nuclear fuel cladding.