Long term hydrogen absorption behavior and hydrogen embrittlement of titanium overpack under anaerobic condition

Taniguchi, Naoki ; Suzuki, Hiroyuki*; Nakanishi, Tomoaki*; Nakayama, Takenori*; Masugata, Tsuyoshi*; Tateishi, Tsuyoshi*

The long term hydrogen absorption behavior and the possibility of hydrogen embrittlement were studied for titanium overpack for high level radioactive waste disposal. The results of galvanostatic cathodic polarization tests showed that as the cathodic current density is lowered, the amount of absorbed hydrogen for a constant cathodic charge was increased as well as hydrogen permeated into inside of titanium. The hydrogen absorption ratio for a cathodic current density equivalent to the corrosion rate under anaerobic condition was estimated to nearly 100 percent, and the amount of absorbed hydrogen for 1000 years was evaluated to be 400 ppm. The mechanical property of titanium containing hydrogen depended on not only hydrogen concentration but also hydrogen distribution type. The more hydrogen distribution is uniform, the degree of embrittlement was larger. It was expected that the rupture of titanium overpack with 6 mm thickness would be initiated if the crack size in titanium is over about 2-3 mm under the stress corresponds to yield strength.