Localized Corrosion of a Neutron Absorbing Ni-Cr-Mo-Gd Alloy

Conference · Sat Apr 02 23:00:00 EST 2005

OSTI ID:911134

Mizia, R. E. ^[1]; Lister, T. E. ^[1]; Pinhero, P. J. ^[1]; Trowbridge, T. L. ^[1]

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1. Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

The National Spent Nuclear Fuel Program, located at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), has developed a new nickel-chromium-molybdenum-gadolinium structural alloy for storage and long-term disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF). The new alloy will be used for SNF storage container inserts for nuclear criticality control. Gadolinium has been chosen as the neutron absorption alloying element due to its high thermal neutron absorption cross section. This alloy must be resistant to localized corrosion when exposed to postulated Yucca Mountain in-package chemistries. The corrosion resistance properties of three experimental heats of this alloy are presented. The alloys performance is compared to Alloy 22 and borated stainless steel. The results show that initially the new Ni-Cr-Mo-Gd alloy is less resistant to corrosion as compared to another Ni-Cr-Mo-Gd alloy (Alloy 22); but when the secondary phase that contains gadolinium (gadolinide) is dissolved, the alloy surface becomes passive. The focus of this work is to qualify these gadolinium containing materials for ASME code qualification and acceptance in the Yucca Mountain Repository.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP); USDOE Idaho Operations Office (IO); USDOE Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management (EM); National Spent Nuclear Fuel Program
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-99ID13727
• OSTI ID: 911134
• Report Number(s): INEEL/CON-05-02578
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ABSORPTION
ALLOYS
CONTAINERS
CORROSION
CORROSION RESISTANCE
CRITICALITY
CROSS SECTIONS
GADOLINIUM
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR FUELS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
PERFORMANCE
SPENT FUELS
STAINLESS STEELS
STORAGE
THERMAL NEUTRONS
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
Yucca Mountain
corrosion rate
gadolinium
neutron absorbing material
nickel-based alloy