Radiolytic Gas Production from Aluminum Coupons (Alloy 1100 and 6061) in Helium Environments—Assessing the Extended Storage of Aluminum Clad Spent Nuclear Fuel
Corrosion of aluminium alloy clad nuclear fuel, during reactor operation and under subsequent wet storage conditions, promotes the formation of aluminium hydroxide and oxyhydroxide layers. These hydrated mineral phases and the chemisorbed and physisorbed waters on their surfaces are susceptible to r...
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2022-10-01
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| author | Jacy K. Conrad Xiaofei Pu Amey Khanolkar Trishelle M. Copeland-Johnson Corey D. Pilgrim Joseph R. Wilbanks Elizabeth H. Parker-Quaife Gregory P. Horne |
| author_facet | Jacy K. Conrad Xiaofei Pu Amey Khanolkar Trishelle M. Copeland-Johnson Corey D. Pilgrim Joseph R. Wilbanks Elizabeth H. Parker-Quaife Gregory P. Horne |
| author_sort | Jacy K. Conrad |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Corrosion of aluminium alloy clad nuclear fuel, during reactor operation and under subsequent wet storage conditions, promotes the formation of aluminium hydroxide and oxyhydroxide layers. These hydrated mineral phases and the chemisorbed and physisorbed waters on their surfaces are susceptible to radiation-induced processes that yield molecular hydrogen gas (H<sub>2</sub>), which has the potential to complicate the long-term storage and disposal of aluminium clad nuclear fuel through flammable and explosive gas mixture formation, alloy embrittlement, and pressurization. Here, we present a systematic study of the radiolytic formation of H<sub>2</sub> from aluminium alloy 1100 (AA1100) and 6061 (AA6061) coupons in “dry” (~0% relative humidity) and “wet” (50% relative humidity) helium environments. Cobalt-60 gamma irradiation of both aluminium alloy types promoted the formation of H<sub>2</sub>, which increased linearly up to ~2 MGy, and afforded <i>G</i>-values of 1.1 ± 0.1 and 2.9 ± 0.1 for “dry” and “wet” AA1100, and 2.7 ± 0.1 and 1.7 ± 0.1 for “dry” and “wet” AA6061. The negative correlation of H<sub>2</sub> production with relative humidity for AA6061 is in stark contrast to AA1100 and is attributed to differences in the extent of corrosion and varying amounts of adsorbed water in the two alloys, as characterized using optical profilometry, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and <i>X</i>-ray diffraction techniques. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:45:25Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1944 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:45:25Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials |
| spelling | doaj.art-053a77f09ccd4867a06c4697b811282d2023-12-02T00:35:11ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442022-10-011520731710.3390/ma15207317Radiolytic Gas Production from Aluminum Coupons (Alloy 1100 and 6061) in Helium Environments—Assessing the Extended Storage of Aluminum Clad Spent Nuclear FuelJacy K. Conrad0Xiaofei Pu1Amey Khanolkar2Trishelle M. Copeland-Johnson3Corey D. Pilgrim4Joseph R. Wilbanks5Elizabeth H. Parker-Quaife6Gregory P. Horne7Center for Radiation Chemistry Research, Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415, USACharacterization and Post Irradiation Examination, Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415, USACondensed Matter and Materials Physics Group, Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415, USACharacterization and Post Irradiation Examination, Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415, USACenter for Radiation Chemistry Research, Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415, USACenter for Radiation Chemistry Research, Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415, USACenter for Radiation Chemistry Research, Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415, USACenter for Radiation Chemistry Research, Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415, USACorrosion of aluminium alloy clad nuclear fuel, during reactor operation and under subsequent wet storage conditions, promotes the formation of aluminium hydroxide and oxyhydroxide layers. These hydrated mineral phases and the chemisorbed and physisorbed waters on their surfaces are susceptible to radiation-induced processes that yield molecular hydrogen gas (H<sub>2</sub>), which has the potential to complicate the long-term storage and disposal of aluminium clad nuclear fuel through flammable and explosive gas mixture formation, alloy embrittlement, and pressurization. Here, we present a systematic study of the radiolytic formation of H<sub>2</sub> from aluminium alloy 1100 (AA1100) and 6061 (AA6061) coupons in “dry” (~0% relative humidity) and “wet” (50% relative humidity) helium environments. Cobalt-60 gamma irradiation of both aluminium alloy types promoted the formation of H<sub>2</sub>, which increased linearly up to ~2 MGy, and afforded <i>G</i>-values of 1.1 ± 0.1 and 2.9 ± 0.1 for “dry” and “wet” AA1100, and 2.7 ± 0.1 and 1.7 ± 0.1 for “dry” and “wet” AA6061. The negative correlation of H<sub>2</sub> production with relative humidity for AA6061 is in stark contrast to AA1100 and is attributed to differences in the extent of corrosion and varying amounts of adsorbed water in the two alloys, as characterized using optical profilometry, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and <i>X</i>-ray diffraction techniques.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/15/20/7317gamma radiolysismolecular hydrogen generationaluminum clad spent nuclear fuel |
| spellingShingle | Jacy K. Conrad Xiaofei Pu Amey Khanolkar Trishelle M. Copeland-Johnson Corey D. Pilgrim Joseph R. Wilbanks Elizabeth H. Parker-Quaife Gregory P. Horne Radiolytic Gas Production from Aluminum Coupons (Alloy 1100 and 6061) in Helium Environments—Assessing the Extended Storage of Aluminum Clad Spent Nuclear Fuel Materials gamma radiolysis molecular hydrogen generation aluminum clad spent nuclear fuel |
| title | Radiolytic Gas Production from Aluminum Coupons (Alloy 1100 and 6061) in Helium Environments—Assessing the Extended Storage of Aluminum Clad Spent Nuclear Fuel |
| title_full | Radiolytic Gas Production from Aluminum Coupons (Alloy 1100 and 6061) in Helium Environments—Assessing the Extended Storage of Aluminum Clad Spent Nuclear Fuel |
| title_fullStr | Radiolytic Gas Production from Aluminum Coupons (Alloy 1100 and 6061) in Helium Environments—Assessing the Extended Storage of Aluminum Clad Spent Nuclear Fuel |
| title_full_unstemmed | Radiolytic Gas Production from Aluminum Coupons (Alloy 1100 and 6061) in Helium Environments—Assessing the Extended Storage of Aluminum Clad Spent Nuclear Fuel |
| title_short | Radiolytic Gas Production from Aluminum Coupons (Alloy 1100 and 6061) in Helium Environments—Assessing the Extended Storage of Aluminum Clad Spent Nuclear Fuel |
| title_sort | radiolytic gas production from aluminum coupons alloy 1100 and 6061 in helium environments assessing the extended storage of aluminum clad spent nuclear fuel |
| topic | gamma radiolysis molecular hydrogen generation aluminum clad spent nuclear fuel |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/15/20/7317 |
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