Oxidation of Zr-1%Nb fuel cladding alloy in simulated primary coolant of a pressurized water nuclear reactor is followed by in-situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. In-depth composition and thickness of the oxide are estimated by ex-situ analytical techniques. A kinetic model of the oxidation process featuring interfacial reactions of metal oxidation and water reduction, as well as electron and ion transport through the oxide governed by diffusion-migration, is parameterized by quantitative comparison to impedance data. The effects of compressive stress on diffusion and ionic space charge on migration of ionic point defects are introduced to rationalize the dependence of transport parameters on thickness (or oxidation time). The influence of ex-situ and in-situ hydrogen charging on kinetic and transport parameters is also studied.

In the present paper, the effect of the evolution of primary water chemistry during power operation on the corrosion rate and conduction mechanism of oxide films on stainless steel is studied by in situ impedance spectroscopy at 300 °C/9 MPa during 1-week exposure periods in an autoclave connected to a recirculation loop. At the end of the exposure period, the samples were anodically polarized in a wide range of potentials to evaluate the stability of the passive oxide. Separate samples of the same steel were simultaneously exposed to the coolant and subsequently analyzed by glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES) in order to estimate the thickness and the in-depth composition of the formed oxides. Impedance data were quantitatively interpreted using the mixed-conduction model for oxide films (MCM) to estimate the rates of metal oxidation at the alloy/oxide interface, oxide dissolution and restructuring at the film/coolant interface, and ion transport in the protective corrosion layer.

The present study proposes an atomistic molecular dynamics model system of a magnetite (Fe₃O₄) {111} surface. The effect of temperature on the adsorption process of ammonia (NH₃) at low concentrations in the aqueous phase has been considered. The molecular dynamics simulations were carried out using the Clay force field (Clay FF) with a modification for the iron atoms in the NPT ensemble at a pressure of 90 bar. The considered system was heated in a temperature range from 293 to 473 K, and additional relaxations were performed at temperatures of interest. Within the scope of this study, the basic parameters of the magnetite surface were calculated and the distances between the ammonia molecules and the surface were determined. A general idea of the degree and rate of adsorption at specific temperatures was obtained. The calculation results were compared to the experimental data where possible and to other available simulations of adsorption processes on metal oxides.

In the present paper, impedance spectroscopy was employed to study the corrosion and anodic oxidation of stainless steel (AISI 316L at 280 °C/9 MPa) in contact with the boron-free primary coolant of a small modular reactor at two levels of KOH concentration. Analysis of impedance spectra with a distribution of relaxation times revealed contributions from the oxide layer and its interface with the coolant. Glow-Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy (GDOES) was used to estimate the thickness and elemental composition of the formed oxides. A quantitative interpretation of the impedance data using the Mixed-Conduction Model allowed us to estimate the kinetic and transport parameters of oxide growth and dissolution, as well as iron dissolution through oxide. The film thicknesses following exposure agreed with ex-situ analyses. The obtained corrosion and release rates were used for comparison with laboratory and industrial data in nominal pressurized water reactor primary coolants.

During the power operation of the primary loop of a water cooled–water moderated energy reactor (WWER), the water chemistry evolves from a high-boron high-potassium composition to significantly lower concentrations of both constituents at the end of a campaign, and the Li concentration reaches ca. 0.7–0.9 ppm. In the present paper, the effect of primary water chemistry evolution during operation on the corrosion rate and conduction mechanism of oxides on Alloy 690 is studied by in situ impedance spectroscopy at 300 °C/9 MPa during 1-week exposures in an autoclave connected to a re-circulation loop. At the end of exposure, the samples were anodically polarized at potentials −0.8 to −0.1 V vs. SHE to evaluate the stability of the passive oxide. Simultaneously exposed samples of Alloy 690 were subsequently analyzed by XPS to estimate the thickness and in-depth composition of oxides. Impedance data were quantitatively interpreted using the mixed-conduction model (MCM) for oxide films. The effect of water chemistry evolution on the corrosion rate and conduction mechanism in the oxide on Alloy 690 in a primary coolant is discussed based on the obtained parameters.