Characterization of Gaseous Sulfide Corrosion of Copper Used Fuel Container Materials in Anoxic Environments
Year: 2026
Type: dissertation
Abstract: In Canada, copper is used as the primary corrosion barrier on containers to isolate used CANDU fuel bundles from the environment in a deep geological repository. As a part of the research to ensure the longevity of the container for its service life of up to 1 million years, sulfide induced corrosion is being investigated as one possible mechanism responsible for the degradation of copper. In this research, two candidate copper materials are exposed to gaseous hydrogen sulfide in an anoxic nitrogen carrier gas. This work aims to provide a preliminary insight into the anoxic gaseous sulfide corrosion condition, testing a variety of variables applicable to the deep geological repository environment, including: thermal preoxidation of the copper materials, duration of exposure, and humidity. Through use of a variety of characterization techniques, the morphology, growth rate, chemistry, and other corrosion parameters are investigated.
Author: Hackett, Benjamin David Cameron
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7224031976