Stress Corrosion Cracking of Pure Copper under Possible Nuclear Fuel Waste Management Conditions

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of nitrite/chloride and ammonia/chloride concentrations, on the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behaviour of oxygen free phosphorous doped (OFP) copper. Constant extension rate tests (CERTs) were performed at room temperature using a compact tension specimen. The findings are summarized as follow: A 1:1 ratio of nitrite to chloride suppressed SCC, as did an overabundance of chloride. The susceptibility of OFP copper to SCC in a deaearated 0.1 mol•L 1 nitrite solution appeared to decrease and the steady-state potential values became more negative with increasing chloride concentration. A 1:1 ratio of ammonia to chloride suppressed SCC, as did an overabundance of chloride. The addition of chloride in concentrations ≤0.5 mol•L 1 had little effect on the SCC behaviour. High chloride concentrations appeared to increase the uniform corrosion of OFP copper, which coincided with a blunting of the crack tip.