Stress corrosion cracking induced by the combination of external and internal hydrogen in Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy

Tang, J.*; Wang, Y.*; Fujihara, Hiro*; Shimizu, Kazuyuki*; Hirayama, Kyosuke*; Ebihara, Kenichi; Takeuchi, Akihisa*; Uesugi, Masayuki*; Toda, Hiroyuki*

Scripta Materialia, 239, p.115804_1 - 115804_5, 2024/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scriptamat.2023.115804

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behaviors induced by the combination of external and internal hydrogen (H) in an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy were systematically investigated via in situ 3D characterization techniques. SCC of the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy could initiate and propagate in the potential crack region where the H concentration exceeded a critical value, in which the nanoscopic H-induced decohesion of -MgZn precipitates resulted in macroscopic cracking. External H that penetrated the alloy from the environment played a crucial role during the SCC of the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy by generating gradient-distributed H-affected zones near the crack tips, which made Al alloys in water environment more sensitive to SCC. Additionally, the pre-existing internal H was driven toward the crack tips during plastic deformation. It was involved in the SCC and made contributions to both the cracks initiation and propagation.

Characterization and corrosion behavior of Al-added high Mn ODS austenitic steels in oxygen-saturated lead-bismuth eutectic

Haoran, W.*; Yu, H.*; Liu, J.*; Kondo, Sosuke*; Okubo, Nariaki; Kasada, Ryuta*

Corrosion Science, 209, p.110818_1 - 110818_12, 2022/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.corsci.2022.110818

The corrosion behavior of newly developed AlO forming high Mn oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) austenitic steels was examined in oxygen-saturated lead-bismuth eutectic at 450C for 430 h. Compared with non-ODS steels, the ODS steels possessed superior resistance to corrosion and spallation. The high density grain boundaries in the ODS steels acted as channels for the rapid outward diffusion of metallic elements, forming an internal continuous CrO scale at the original surface. Accelerated Al diffusion, along with oxidation prevention by the external (Fe, Mn) oxide scale and the internal CrO scale, jointly resulted in the formation of a continuous Al-rich oxide scale in ODS-7Al steel, contributing to its superior corrosion resistance.

Effects of potential on the electrical conductivity of a solution within a crevice of stainless steel in high-temperature water

Soma, Yasutaka; Komatsu, Atsushi; Ueno, Fumiyoshi

Corrosion, 78(6), p.503 - 515, 2022/06

https://doi.org/10.5006/3187

The effects of electrochemical potential (ECP) on water chemistry within a crevice are of critical importance for understanding stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of Fe-Cr-Ni alloys in high temperature water. In this study, the effects of ECP on the electrical conductivity of a solution within a Type-316L stainless steel crevice () have been studied in 288C and 8 MPa water containing 10 ppb Cl as major anionic species. In situ measurements of in a rectangular crevice with a gap of 15 m and a depth of 23 mm have been conducted using small sensors installed at different crevice depths. An increase in ECP from -0.49 V (vs. standard hydrogen electrode) to -0.12 V resulted in an increase in from 12 Scm to 160 Scm at a distance of 21 mm from the crevice mouth. The increase in reached a maximum at about 0.15 V (about 300 Scm) and then tended to decrease with increasing potential. Finite element model analysis taking into account the electrochemical reaction quantitatively reproduced this behavior. It is considered that Cl is the major anionic species transported into the crevice at relatively low potentials, and that increases monotonically with increasing ECP. On the other hand, when ECP exceeds around 0 V, a sufficient amount of HCrO generated by transpassive dissolution also transported into the gap. Since this chemical species is highly oxidizing, unlike Cl, it is assumed that it reacts with metal cations to oxidize and precipitate them, thereby lowering conductivity.

Approach to elucidate corrosion mechanism on metal surface using first-principles calculations

Igarashi, Takahiro; Otani, Kyohei; Komatsu, Atsushi; Kato, Chiaki; Sakairi, Masatoshi*

Bosei Kanri, 66(4), p.141 - 145, 2022/04

Metal corrosion is a material deterioration phenomenon based on electrochemical reactions on an atomic scale. In this paper, various methods for acquiring physical properties on metal surfaces using first-principles calculations were described. As examples of applying first-principles calculation to metal corrosion, the effect of hydrogen adsorption on the metal surface on the potential change and the effect of cation atoms in the aqueous solution on the corrosion resistance of the metal were reported.

Development of high temperature LBE corrosion test loop "OLLOCHI"

Saito, Shigeru; Wan, T.*; Okubo, Nariaki; Kita, Satoshi*; Obayashi, Hironari; Sasa, Toshinobu

JAEA-Technology 2021-034, 94 Pages, 2022/03

JAEA-Technology-2021-034.pdf:5.91MB

Lead-bismuth eutectic alloy (LBE) is a major candidate for a spallation target material and core coolant of an accelerator driven system (ADS) which has been developed in the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to transmute high-level radioactive wastes. A proton irradiation facility to build a material irradiation database for future ADS development is under considering in the J-PARC. To realize both the ADS and the above-mentioned facility, there are many issues on operational safety of LBE to be solved. Especially, corrosion data for the major materials such as T91 (Modified 9Cr-1Mo steel) and SS316L at the temperature range between 400 and 550 C under the conditions of flowing LBE with a controlled oxygen are not sufficient to design the ADS and the facility. JAEA developed a new large-scale corrosion test loop named "OLLOCHI (Oxygen-controlled LBE LOop for Corrosion tests in HIgh-temperature)" aiming to perform the compatibility tests between the LBE and the steels, as well as to develop the LBE operation technology. OLLOCHI has a function to automatically control the oxygen concentration in LBE. The maximum temperature at the regions of high-temperature and low-temperature of the OLLOCHI are 550 C and 450 C respectively to cover the ADS designed condition. As a result of 2,000 hours operation, it was demonstrated that the OLLOCHI showed the designed performance. In this report, outline of the OLLOCHI, details of the components, results of characteristic tests, and the future experimental plan are described.

Lead bismuth target for Accelerator-driven Transmutation System (ADS)

Sasa, Toshinobu

Kasokuki, 18(4), p.233 - 240, 2022/01

https://doi.org/10.50868/pasj.18.4_233

Lead bismuth eutectic alloy (LBE) is a promising option as a spallation target for accelerator-driven transmutation systems (ADS) to reduce the radiological toxicity from long-lived radioactive waste. LBE is a heavy metal and has suitable characteristics both as a spallation target and as a coolant for transmutation systems. However, LBE is also known as a highly corrosive with structural materials. In this paper, technological developments to overcome the issue, the latest research activities such as hightemperature operation and oxygen concentration control to ensure corrosion resistance, are introduced together with the outline of the target for ADS.

Corrosion of carbon steel in the simulated air/solution interface environment

Otani, Kyohei; Kato, Chiaki

Zairyo To Kankyo, 70(12), p.480 - 486, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.3323/jcorr.70.480

This is a comprehensive paper of the corrosion of carbon steel in air/solution alternating condition. From cross-sectional observation and analysis of the iron rust layer formed on the surface of carbon steel in the alternating condition, it was found that a multilayered iron rust layer composed of red rust layer (-FeOOH), rust crust layer (FeO), inner crystal (FeO), and inner rust layer was formed on carbon steel. The multi-layered iron rust layer would accelerate the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction, and the reason why the corrosion rate of the carbon steel in the alternating condition was accelerated. The effect of artificial seawater (ASW) composition on the corrosion rate of carbon steel in air/solution alternating condition was investigated. It was found that the corrosion rate increased with increasing concentration from pure water to 200 times diluted ASW, and decreased with increasing concentration from 20 times diluted ASW to no diluted ASW. The Mg and Ca ions in ASW precipitated on the reaction interface and formed a metal cation layer, which inhibited the oxygen reduction reaction, and thus the corrosion of carbon steel was inhibited in the highly concentrated ASW.

A Task of microbiologically influenced corrosion in Fukushima Daiichi Decommissioning

Wakai, Satoshi*; Hirano, Shinichi*; Ueno, Fumiyoshi; Okamoto, Akihiro*

Zairyo To Kankyo, 70(12), p.491 - 496, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.3323/jcorr.70.491

After Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident, various corrosion mitigating activities have been treated, and severe corrosion incident have never taken placed. On the other hand, the facilities were exposed sea water, and some of them have continuously exposed to ground water. The exposure of metal materials to environmental water has a risk of microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). In this paper, we summarize the latest knowledge of MIC and the task of MIC in the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.

Database for corrosion under irradiation conditions (Contract research)

Sato, Tomonori; Hata, Kuniki; Kaji, Yoshiyuki; Ueno, Fumiyoshi; Inoue, Hiroyuki*; Taguchi, Mitsumasa*; Seito, Hajime*; Tada, Eiji*; Abe, Hiroshi*; Akiyama, Eiji*; et al.

JAEA-Review 2021-001, 123 Pages, 2021/06

JAEA-Review-2021-001.pdf:10.33MB

In the implement of the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1F), there are many problems to be solved. Specially, the mitigation of the aging degradation by the corrosion of the structural materials is important to implement the decommissioning safely and continuously. However, there are limited data for the environmental factors of corrosion in 1F, and the condition of 1F is continuously changing. So, the literature data for the water radiolysis and the corrosion under irradiation are listed as the database of corrosion under irradiation in this report. And the new obtained radiolysis and corrosion data, which have not been reported in the literature and will be required in the decommissioning of 1F, are reported.

Study on the free corrosion potential at an interface between an Al electrode and an acidic aqueous NaCl solution through density functional theory combined with the reference interaction site model

Kano, Koichi*; Hagiwara, Satoshi*; Igarashi, Takahiro; Otani, Minoru*

Electrochimica Acta, 377, p.138121_1 - 138121_10, 2021/05

AA2020-0599.pdf:0.95MB

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2021.138121

We investigated the free corrosion potential at an interface between an Al electrode and an aqueous NaCl solution under acidic conditions via density functional theory combined with the effective screening medium and reference interaction site model (ESM-RISM). The electrode potentials for the anodic and cathodic corrosion reactions were obtained from the grand potential profile as a function of the electron chemical potential at the interface. Thereafter, we determined the free corrosion potential using the Tafel extrapolation method. The results of the free corrosion potential were consistent with previous experimental data. By controlling the pH, we determined the pH dependence of the free corrosion potential, and the results agreed well with the experimental results. Our results indicated that the ESM-RISM method duly described the environmental effect of an acidic solution and precisely determined the free corrosion potential.