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Radiation-induced molecular hydrogen gas generation in the presence of aluminum alloy 1100

Journal Article · · Radiation Physics and Chemistry (1993)
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [1]
  1. Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States). Center for Radiation Chemistry Research
  2. Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL), Aiken, SC (United States).
  3. Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States). Center for Radiation Chemistry Research and Aqueous Separations and Radiochemistry
+ Show Author Affiliations
The United States government currently manages nearly 13 metric tons of aluminum-clad spent nuclear fuel (SNF) without a long-term storage solution, so a fundamental understanding of corrosion processes occurring on aluminum alloy surfaces is of utmost importance to plan for extended (>50 years) interim dry storage of aluminum-clad SNF. While thermal and chemical corrosion processes are well characterized for aluminum, radiation effects are not. To help understand the impacts of radiation on aluminum-clad SNF, here the radiation-induced molecular hydrogen gas (H2) generation from pristine and pre-corroded aluminum alloy 1100 (Al-1100) coupons have been studied. Corrosion of coupons was achieved by submerging coupons in water at 95 °C for 29 days, yielding a ~5 μm boehmite/bayerite oxide film. Pre-corroded coupons were exposed to cobalt-60 gamma radiation to absorbed doses of up to 1.0 MGy under a variety of conditions: cover-gas composition (argon, nitrogen, or air), relative humidity (0, 50, and 100%), and temperature (ambient, 100, and 200 °C). Post-irradiation measurements demonstrated that the yield of H2 was directly attributable to the presence of the Al-1100 coupons and their physisorbed water with dependence on absorbed gamma dose, relative humidity, and cover-gas composition. No H2 was quantified in the presence of air, while both nitrogen and argon environments afforded higher H2 yields with increasing relative humidities. This was attributed to the greater availability of adsorbed water for radiolytic processes. Irradiation of pre-corroded Al-1100 coupons at different temperatures under 0% relative humidity argon conditions yielded statistically equivalent H2 yields for ambient temperatures and 100 °C. However, irradiation at 200 °C promoted a 3 to 4-fold increase in the yield of H2, possibly due to the transformation of bayerite to boehmite and/or improved efficiency of H• and H2 release from oxide surfaces.
Research Organization:
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM), Technology Development
Grant/Contract Number:
AC07-05ID14517
OSTI ID:
1656726
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1647117
Report Number(s):
INL/JOU--20-58494-Rev000
Journal Information:
Radiation Physics and Chemistry (1993), Journal Name: Radiation Physics and Chemistry (1993) Vol. 177; ISSN 0969-806X
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
Gamma irradiation
aluminum cladding
aluminum oxides
aluminum oxyhydroxide
aluminum spent nuclear fuel (ASNF)
dry storage
molecular hydrogen generation
nuclear reactor