Journal article 1882 views 419 downloads
In situ imaging of corrosion processes in nuclear fuel cladding
Alice Laferrere,
Robert Burrows,
Carol Glover,
Ronald Nuuchin Clark,
Oliver Payton,
Loren Picco,
Stacy Moore,
Geraint Williams
Corrosion Engineering, Science and Technology, Volume: 52, Issue: 8, Pages: 596 - 604
Swansea University Authors: Carol Glover, Geraint Williams
-
PDF | Accepted Manuscript
Download (1.3MB)
DOI (Published version): 10.1080/1478422X.2017.1344038
Abstract
Spent nuclear fuel in the U.K. is stored within ponds dosed with NaOH in order to inhibit corrosion and, to ensure the efficiency of storage regimes, there is a need to define and quantify the corrosion processes involved during immersion of fuel cladding. In this project, state-of-the-art character...
| Published in: | Corrosion Engineering, Science and Technology |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1478-422X 1743-2782 |
| Published: |
2017
|
| Online Access: |
Check full text
|
| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa34526 |
| Abstract: |
Spent nuclear fuel in the U.K. is stored within ponds dosed with NaOH in order to inhibit corrosion and, to ensure the efficiency of storage regimes, there is a need to define and quantify the corrosion processes involved during immersion of fuel cladding. In this project, state-of-the-art characterisation techniques were employed to image the corroding surfaces of two nuclear fuel cladding materials: stainless steel and Magnox. Advanced gas-cooled reactor fuel cladding consists of 20Cr-25Ni-Nb stabilised stainless steel and during irradiation the microstructure of the cladding undergoes significant changes, including grain boundary element depletion and segregation. High-speed atomic force microscopy with nanoscale resolution, enabled precipitates and pit initiation in stainless steel to be imaged. Magnox is a magnesium–aluminium alloy and during irradiation in a reactor the outer metal surface oxidises, forming an adherent passive layer which subsequently hydrates when exposed to water. Corrosion processes encompass breakdown of passivity and filiform-like corrosion, both of which were imaged in situ using the scanning vibrating electrode technique. |
|---|---|
| Keywords: |
Nuclear, filiform corrosion, intergranular corrosion, stainless steel, Magnox, advanced gas-cooled reactor, high-speed atomic force microscopy, scanning vibrating electrode |
| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |
| Issue: |
8 |
| Start Page: |
596 |
| End Page: |
604 |