Survey of degradation modes of candidate materials for high-level radioactive-waste disposal containers; Overview

Technical Report · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/137650· OSTI ID:137650

Farmer, J C; McCright, R D; Kass, J N

Three iron- to nickel-based austenitic alloys and three copper-based alloys are being considered as candidate materials for the fabrication of high-level radioactive-waste disposal containers. The austenitic alloys are Types 304L and 316L stainless steels and the high-nickel material Alloy 825. The copper-based alloys are CDA 102 (oxygen-free copper), CDA 613 (Cu-7Al), and CDA 715 (Cu-30Ni). Waste in the forms of both spent fuel assemblies from reactors and borosilicate glass will be sent to the prospective repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The decay of radionuclides will result in the generation of substantial heat and gamma radiation. Container materials may undergo any of several modes of degradation in this environment, including undesirable phase transformations due to a lack of phase stability; atmospheric oxidation; general aqueous corrosion; pitting; crevice corrosion; intergranular stress corrosion cracking; and transgranular stress corrosion cracking. Problems specific to welds, such as hot cracking, may also occur. A survey of the literature has been prepared as part of the process of selecting, from among the candidates, a material that is adequate for repository conditions. The modes of degradation are discussed in detail in the survey to determine which apply to the candidate alloys and the extent to which they may actually occur. The eight volumes of the survey are summarized in Sections 1 through 8 of this overview. The conclusions drawn from the survey are also given in this overview.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 137650
• Report Number(s): UCID--21362-OVERVIEW; ON: DE90006330
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
42 ENGINEERING
AMMONIA
AUSTENITIC STEELS
CONTAINERS
COPPER BASE ALLOYS
CORROSION
GAMMA RADIATION
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS TESTING
OXIDATION
PHASE DIAGRAMS
PHASE STABILITY
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
SPENT FUEL CASKS
STRAIN RATE
STRESS CORROSION
WELDABILITY
Yucca Mountain Project