Abstract:In recent years, clean nuclear energy has developed rapidly. Zr alloys are commonly used as fuel element cladding materials in water-cooled nuclear reactions due to their good corrosion resistance and low neutron absorption cross-section. The nuclear fuel is usually sealed in a Zr alloy envelope by welding, so its weld quality is particularly critical. The high heat input of traditional fusion welding leads to large deformation, and the porosity and intermetallic compounds (IMCs) in the brazing process tend to damage the joint performance, and low-temperature diffusion bonding of Zr alloys can avoid the above problems. Therefore, this paper analyzed the weldability of Zr and its alloys, reviewed the research status of their welding technologies including fusion welding, brazing, and diffusion bonding, briefly introduced two kinds of pre-welding optimization methods, namely surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) and thermo-hydrogen processing (THP). Finally, it summarized and prospected the applications in low-temperature diffusion bonding of Zr alloys.