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Modeling the Distribution of Acidity within Nuclear Fuel (UO2) Corrosion Product Deposits and Porous Sites

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2011

W-J. Cheong ,
P. G. Keech ,
J. C. Wren ,
D. W. Shoesmith  and
Z. Qin
W-J. Cheong
Affiliation:
cheongw@gmail.com, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada
P. G. Keech
Affiliation:
pkeech@uwo.ca, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada
J. C. Wren
Affiliation:
jcwren@uwo.ca, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada
D. W. Shoesmith
Affiliation:
dwshoesm@uwo.ca, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada
Z. Qin
Affiliation:
zqin@uwo.ca, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada
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Abstract

A model for acidity within pores within corrosion products on anodically-dissolving UO2 was developed using Comsol Multiphysics 3.2 to complement ongoing electrochemical measurements. It was determined that a depression of pH within pores can be maintained if: electrochemically measured dissolution currents used in the calculations are attenuated to reflect very localized pores; corrosion potentials exceed -250 mV (vs. SCE); and pore depths are > 1 μm for 300 mV or >100 μm for -50 mV (vs. SCE). Mixed diffusional-chemical equilibria control is suggested through deviations in the shapes between pH-potential and pH-pore depth plots.

Keywords

corrosionsimulationU
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 985: Symposium NN – Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XXX , 2006 , 0985-NN01-04
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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References

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