Hydrotalcite coatings to protect spent sluminum-clad nuclear fuels during long term wet storage

Abstract

Pitting corrosion of the aluminium cladding of spent research reactor (RR) fuels in wet storage has been reported and attributed to synergistic influence of certain water parameters. Hence, use of conversion coatings to protect spent Al-clad RR fuel during long term wet storage was proposed. The objective was to develop a coating using a conventional chemical process as opposed to an electrochemical process due to constraints related to the shape of the fuel and its high radioactivity. In this context hydrotalcite (HTC) and boehmite were considered. This paper presents: (a) preparation of boehmite and hydrotalcite (HTC) coatings from different baths followed by post-coating treatments; (b) corrosion behavior of coated AA 6061 alloy; (c) results of field studies in which uncoated and coated AA 6061 alloy coupons and plates, the latter assembled as a dummy fuel element, were exposed to the IEA-R1 reactor spent fuel basin for periods of up to 14 months. The laboratory tests revealed marked increase in corrosion resistance of HTC coated specimens. In field tests the HTC coated coupons and plates did not reveal any pits. The mechanism of corrosion protection is presented.