Corrosion Analysis of Al-Ce-X Cast Alloys in Dilute Boric Acid and 3.5 Wt.% NaCl Solutions

Tuesday, 11 October 2022: 09:20
Room 306 (The Hilton Atlanta)
J. Jun (Oak Ridge National Laboratory), S. Nam, R. Ott (The Ames Laboratory), and M. Kesler (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)
New compositions of Al-Ce-X cast alloys have been developed to offer higher material performances than the conventional Al alloys for nuclear and other industrial applications. To assess the corrosion behavior of these new Al-Ce-X alloys, mass change measurements and electrochemical analysis were conducted using 0.23 wt.% boric acid solution, relevant to the water chemistry for the storage pool of spent nuclear fuels, and a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution approximating sea water. Pre- and Post-corrosion Al alloy specimens were characterized by electron microscope systems including SEM, TEM and EDS. The initial electrochemical and mass change results suggest that Al-Ce-X alloys are resistant to corrosion in 0.23 wt.% boric acid but can be susceptible to corrosion in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. The initial characterization of post-corrosion samples indicated that one Al-Ce-X alloy type experiences uniform corrosion without any preferential or local attacks. Further corrosion analysis and characterization are underway for comprehensive understanding of corrosion phenomenon in these new alloys.