Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

INHIBITION OF CORROSION OF ALUMINIUM ALLOYS

Patent ·
OSTI ID:4070813

A method of inhibiting corrosion of aluminum-nickel alloys by water or aqueous solutions at 150 to 350 deg C which consists of adding silicic acid in amounts ranging from 100 to 1000 ppm to the solutions is given; a corrosion- resistant coating of a complex aluminum silicate is formed on the alloy surface. In this way, corrosion is reduced from the usual rate of 0.1 to 0.01 in. per year for water at 260 deg C and a velocity of 20 fps to 0.001 in. per year or less, which is advantageous in use of aluminum-nickel alloys as fuel rod sheath material in water-cooled reactors. This method is most effective for aluminum- nickel alloys of 0.5 to 5.0 wt.% Ni, especially those containing 0.5 to 2.5 wt.% Ni, 0.5 to 1.0 wt.% Fe, and 0.1 to 0.2 wt.% Si. The alloys may be pretreated by heating in an aqueous solution of silicic acid te 250 to 350 deg for 1 to 7 days. A mixed bed resin saturated with silicic acid may be installed in a cool bypass in parallel with the circulating water system to regulate the silicic acid concentration in the water. Several examples of the corrosion reduction afforded by this method are given for both static and flowing water systems. (D.L.C.)

Research Organization:
Originating Research Org. not identified
NSA Number:
NSA-15-005332
OSTI ID:
4070813
Report Number(s):
GB 847981
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English