a method and apparatus for a fret resistant fuel rod for a boiling water reactor nuclear fuel bundle . an applied material entrained with fret resistant particles is melted or otherwise fused to a melted , thin layer of the fuel rod cladding . the applied material is made of a material that is chemically compatible with the fuel rod cladding , allowing the fret resistant particles to be captured in the thin layer of re - solidified cladding material to produce an effective and resilient fret resistant layer on an outer layer of the cladding .