Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T19:19:51.842Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Magnesium alloys and graphite wastes encapsulated in cementitious materials: reduction of galvanic corrosion using alkali hydroxide activated blast furnace slag

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 February 2017

D. Chartier ,
B. Muzeau ,
L. Stefan ,
J. Sanchez-Canet  and
C. Monguillon
D. Chartier*
Affiliation:
Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, CEA, DEN, MAR, DTCD, SPDE, F-30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France
B. Muzeau
Affiliation:
Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, CEA, DEN, DANS, DPC, SECR, LECBA, F-91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
L. Stefan
Affiliation:
AREVA NC / D&S (France) / Technical Department, 1 place Jean Millier 92084 Paris La Défense, France
J. Sanchez-Canet
Affiliation:
Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, CEA, DEN, MAR, DTCD, SPDE, F-30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France
C. Monguillon
Affiliation:
Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, CEA, DEN, DANS, DPC, SECR, LECBA, F-91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
*
*(Email: david.chartier@cea.fr)
Get access

Abstract

Magnesium alloys (Mg-0.5%Zr and Mg-1.2%Mn) and graphite from spent nuclear fuel that has been used in the former French gas cooled reactors, have been stored together in AREVA La Hague plant. The recovery and packaging of these wastes is currently studied and several solutions are under consideration. One of the developed solutions would be to mix these wastes in a grout composed of industrially available cement, e.g. OPC, OPC blended with blast furnace slag or aluminous cement. Within the alkaline pore solution of these matrixes, magnesium alloys are imperfectly protected by a layer of magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2, Brucite) resulting in a slow process of corrosion releasing hydrogen. As the production of this gas must be considered for the storage safety, and the quality of wasteform, it is important to select a cement matrix capable of lowering the corrosion kinetics of magnesium alloys. This is especially true when magnesium alloys are conditioned together with graphite wastes. Indeed, galvanic coupling phenomena may increase early age corrosion of the mixed wastes, as magnesium and graphite will be found in electrical contact in the same electrolyte. Many types of cements have been tested and most of them have caused strong hydrogen production when magnesium alloys and graphite are conditioned together into such cement pastes. Exceptions are geopolymer binder which is already known for that and another binder based on alkali hydroxide activated ground granulated blast furnace slag (AHABFS) which is presented in the present article. First are presented hydrogen production experiments that demonstrate the efficiency of AHABFS towards reduction of corrosion of Mg alloys embedded. In a second part, a formulation of fluid mortar based on this binder is proposed.

Keywords

alloycorrosionwaste management
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Advances , Volume 1 , Issue 62: Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XXXIX , 2016 , pp. 4095 - 4101
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

ANDRA 2012 ‘‘En Résumé, Inventaire national des déchets radioactifs’’ (http://www.andra.fr/inventaire2012/04_pdf_documents/01-resume/index.html#/1/)Google Scholar
Fairhall, G.A., Palmer, J.D. 1992 “The Encapsulation of Magnox Swarf in Cement in the United Kingdom”, Cement and Concrete Research. 22, 293–298.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hoch, A.R., Smart, N.R., Wilson, J.D., Reddy, B. 2010 A Survey of Reactive Metal Corrosion Data for Use in the SMOGG Gas Generation Model. Report to the NDA RWMD, SA/ENV–0895 Issue 2.Google Scholar
Cronin, J., Collier, N. 2011 Corrosion & Expansion of Grouted Magnox. NNL (11) 11524 Issue 3.Google Scholar
Rooses, A., Lambertin, D., Chartier, D., Frizon, F., 2013 Galvanic corrosion of Mg–Zr fuel cladding and steel immobilized in Portland cement and geopolymer at early ages, Journal of Nuclear Materials. 435 137–140.Google Scholar
Lambertin, D., Frizon, F., Bart, F., 2012 “Mg–Zr alloy behavior in basic solutions and immobilization in Portland cement and Na-geopolymer with sodium fluoride inhibitor”, Surface & Coatings Technology.206 4567–4573.Google Scholar
Morize P, P., “Structure des réacteurs nucléaires, Matériaux de gainage : Mg, Zr’’ réf. B3700 (10/05/1984).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van der Lee, J. 1998 “Thermodynamic and mathematical concepts of CHESS” Technical report LHM/RD/98/39, France, CIG-Ecole des Mines. FontainebleauGoogle Scholar
Wolery, T. 1992, Technical Report UCRL-MA-110662 PT I, USA. 1992: Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryGoogle Scholar
International PCT Patent Application n°PCT/EP2015/062172-AREVA NC -STEFAN L, CHARTIER D, AVRIL D, SANCHEZ-CANET JGoogle Scholar
ANDRA, Spécification d’acceptation des colis de déchets radioactifs au CSFMA (INB N°149), ‘‘Spécification technique d’acceptation des colis de déchets radioactifs conditionnés dans des conteneurs métalliques périssables à matrice confinante’’ ACO.SP.ASRE.99.006.C (2012).Google Scholar