Validation of Water Radiolysis Models Against Experimental Data in Support of the Prediction of the Radiation-Induced Corrosion of Copper-Coated Used Fuel Containers

Copper has been proposed as a container material for the disposal of used nuclear fuel in a number of countries worldwide. The container materials will be subject to various corrosion processes in a deep geological repository, including radiation-induced corrosion (RIC) resulting from the γ-irradiat...

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Main Authors: Scott Briggs, Mehran Behazin, Fraser King
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Corrosion and Materials Degradation
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5558/6/2/14
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author Scott Briggs
Mehran Behazin
Fraser King
author_facet Scott Briggs
Mehran Behazin
Fraser King
author_sort Scott Briggs
collection DOAJ
description Copper has been proposed as a container material for the disposal of used nuclear fuel in a number of countries worldwide. The container materials will be subject to various corrosion processes in a deep geological repository, including radiation-induced corrosion (RIC) resulting from the γ-irradiation of the near-field environment. A comprehensive model is being developed to predict the extent of RIC by coupling a radiolysis model to the interfacial electrochemical reactions on the container surface. An important component of the overall model is a radiolysis model to predict the time-dependent concentration of oxidizing and reducing radiolysis products. As a first step in the model development, various radiolysis models have been validated against experimental measurements of the concentrations of dissolved and gaseous radiolysis products. Experimental data are available for pure H<sub>2</sub>O- and Cl<sup>−</sup>-containing solutions, with and without a gas headspace. The results from these experiments have been compared with predictions from corresponding radiolysis models, including the effects of the partitioning of gaseous species (O<sub>2</sub> and H<sub>2</sub>) at the gas–solution interface. Different reaction schemes for the Cl<sup>−</sup> radiolysis models are also compared. The validated radiolysis model will then be coupled with interfacial reactions on the copper surface and additional processes related to the presence of bentonite clay in Steps 2 and 3 of the overall model, respectively.
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series Corrosion and Materials Degradation
spelling doaj-art-a6beae7b21c047e8a5b7b60ef673ef0a2025-08-20T03:26:20ZengMDPI AGCorrosion and Materials Degradation2624-55582025-04-01621410.3390/cmd6020014Validation of Water Radiolysis Models Against Experimental Data in Support of the Prediction of the Radiation-Induced Corrosion of Copper-Coated Used Fuel ContainersScott Briggs0Mehran Behazin1Fraser King2Nuclear Waste Management Organization, Toronto, ON M4T 2S3, CanadaNuclear Waste Management Organization, Toronto, ON M4T 2S3, CanadaIntegrity Corrosion Consulting Ltd., Nanaimo, BC V9T 1K2, CanadaCopper has been proposed as a container material for the disposal of used nuclear fuel in a number of countries worldwide. The container materials will be subject to various corrosion processes in a deep geological repository, including radiation-induced corrosion (RIC) resulting from the γ-irradiation of the near-field environment. A comprehensive model is being developed to predict the extent of RIC by coupling a radiolysis model to the interfacial electrochemical reactions on the container surface. An important component of the overall model is a radiolysis model to predict the time-dependent concentration of oxidizing and reducing radiolysis products. As a first step in the model development, various radiolysis models have been validated against experimental measurements of the concentrations of dissolved and gaseous radiolysis products. Experimental data are available for pure H<sub>2</sub>O- and Cl<sup>−</sup>-containing solutions, with and without a gas headspace. The results from these experiments have been compared with predictions from corresponding radiolysis models, including the effects of the partitioning of gaseous species (O<sub>2</sub> and H<sub>2</sub>) at the gas–solution interface. Different reaction schemes for the Cl<sup>−</sup> radiolysis models are also compared. The validated radiolysis model will then be coupled with interfacial reactions on the copper surface and additional processes related to the presence of bentonite clay in Steps 2 and 3 of the overall model, respectively.https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5558/6/2/14coppercorrosionirradiationused fuel containerdeep geological repositoryradiolysis
spellingShingle Scott Briggs
Mehran Behazin
Fraser King
Validation of Water Radiolysis Models Against Experimental Data in Support of the Prediction of the Radiation-Induced Corrosion of Copper-Coated Used Fuel Containers
Corrosion and Materials Degradation
copper
corrosion
irradiation
used fuel container
deep geological repository
radiolysis
title Validation of Water Radiolysis Models Against Experimental Data in Support of the Prediction of the Radiation-Induced Corrosion of Copper-Coated Used Fuel Containers
title_full Validation of Water Radiolysis Models Against Experimental Data in Support of the Prediction of the Radiation-Induced Corrosion of Copper-Coated Used Fuel Containers
title_fullStr Validation of Water Radiolysis Models Against Experimental Data in Support of the Prediction of the Radiation-Induced Corrosion of Copper-Coated Used Fuel Containers
title_full_unstemmed Validation of Water Radiolysis Models Against Experimental Data in Support of the Prediction of the Radiation-Induced Corrosion of Copper-Coated Used Fuel Containers
title_short Validation of Water Radiolysis Models Against Experimental Data in Support of the Prediction of the Radiation-Induced Corrosion of Copper-Coated Used Fuel Containers
title_sort validation of water radiolysis models against experimental data in support of the prediction of the radiation induced corrosion of copper coated used fuel containers
topic copper
corrosion
irradiation
used fuel container
deep geological repository
radiolysis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5558/6/2/14
work_keys_str_mv AT scottbriggs validationofwaterradiolysismodelsagainstexperimentaldatainsupportofthepredictionoftheradiationinducedcorrosionofcoppercoatedusedfuelcontainers
AT mehranbehazin validationofwaterradiolysismodelsagainstexperimentaldatainsupportofthepredictionoftheradiationinducedcorrosionofcoppercoatedusedfuelcontainers
AT fraserking validationofwaterradiolysismodelsagainstexperimentaldatainsupportofthepredictionoftheradiationinducedcorrosionofcoppercoatedusedfuelcontainers