Microscopic Studies of Hydration and Corrosion in Nuclear Materials Disposition
EMSL Project ID
3365
Abstract
The processing and packaging of excess nuclear materials are addressed in several DOE standards. Two critical issues during long term storage are pressurization and corrosion of the container. Water is of particular concern. Chemically bound water (e.g. chemisorbed layers and hydrates) may desorb during temperature excursions anticipated during transportation and storage. Chemical and radiolytic reaction of water could lead to flammable mixtures of hydrogen and oxygen. Given their hygroscopic nature, impurity salts left over from various processes represent the single largest uncertainty in the water loadings. We propose to study the microscopic morphology and hydration characteristics of candidate materials such as K(Mg)Cl3 and mixtures of salts with oxide powders using the environmental scanning electron microscope. The combination of moisture and salt may also lead to container corrosion. Examination of the corrosion pit morphology, hydration studies and elemental analysis (using in situ EDAX), will assist in identifying susceptible areas such as welds.Project Details
Project type
Exploratory Research
Start Date
2003-05-01
End Date
2006-04-21
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator