Abstract
The aim of the project is to protect the surface of zirconium alloys used in nuclear reactors with a homogeneous nanocomposite polycrystalline diamond layer prepared by the gas phase deposition method. The polycrystalline diamond layer consisting of both diamond and non-diamond carbon phases is sufficiently flexible and strong at the same time to withstand thermal stress and to be able to protect the surface of zirconium alloy elements from undesired chemical reactions in the nuclear reactor environment.