IRRADIATION EFFECTS ON THE SURFACE REACTIONS OF METALS. Final Report, January 15, 1958 to January 15, 1961

Technical Report · Sat Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1961

OSTI ID:4818509

kosiba, W L

The effects of reactor radiation on the surface reactions of metals and metal oxides in gaseous and aqueous media were investigated by comparing the reactions of unirradiated and irradiated polycrystalline copper specimens, as well as the reactions of unirradiated and irradiated copper single crystals, (l1l) face. The single-crystal and polycrystalline specimens, in inert atmospheres, were irradiated by exposure in the BNL, GETR, or TRIGA reactor to total integrated flux levels ranging from 10m6 to 10/0 neutrons/cm/. In addition, the reaction rates of polycrystalline copper specimens in an oxygen atmosphere at a controlled temperature were also measured during irradiation (9.85 x 10i6 made of the reaction rates in a gaseous environment of unirradiated polycrystalline copper specimens as compared with that of specimens that were irradiated to various levels of radiation exposure, and also the reaction rates of polycrystalline copper specimens in a controlled-temperature oxygen atmosphere in the presence of radiation. Measurements were made of electrode potentials. Studies were made of the dissolution rates of irradiated and unirradiated polycrystalline copper and single crystals, (11l) face, of copper in aqueous media. Observation was made of the formation of etch pits in irradiated and unirradiated copper single crystals, (111) face. It was found that the differences between the dissolution rates of both polycrystalline and single- crystal irradiated copper specimens as compared with unirradiated specimens were too small to yield definitive reaction-rate results. The gas-metal reaction experiments showed that irradiation does affect the oxidation ratc of polycrystalline copper as compared with unirradiated copper; however, both increases and decreases in the rates of oxidation were found. Observation of etch-pit formation proved to be the most promising area of investigation: the radiation effects observed can be related directly to the magnitude of radiati;rn exposure. (auth)

• Research Organization: General Atomic Div. General Dynamics Corp., San Diego, Calif.
• NSA Number: NSA-16-002263
• OSTI ID: 4818509
• Report Number(s): GA-2229
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATOR
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COPPER
CRYSTALS
DEFECTS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYSIS
ETCHING
GASES
GETR
INERT GASES
IRRADIATION
MEASURED VALUES
METALLOGRAPHY
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
MONOCRYSTALS
NEUTRON FLUX
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTION KINETICS
REACTORS
SOLUTIONS
SURFACES
TRIGA SERIES
WATER