Influence of Deteriorated Bentonite Sediments on the Corrosion Behavior of NiCu Low Alloy Steel

doi:10.1007/s40195-021-01278-2

Abstract

Abstract:

The corrosion evolution of steel disposal container largely depends on the evolution of surrounding bentonite environment in the long-term geological disposal of high-level radioactive wastes. This study focused on the influence of the deteriorated bentonite sediments on the corrosion behavior of NiCu low alloy steel in the top supernatant and bottom slurry formed by Gaomiaozi bentonite and 0.05 M NaHCO₃ + 0.1 M NaCl + 0.1 M Na₂SO₄ solution. In the top supernatant, the cathodic process of the steel corrosion was transformed from the reduction in oxygen to the reduction in ferric corrosion products with time as same as that in the blank solution. While in the bottom bentonite slurry, the cathodic process always maintained as the hydrogen evolution reaction due to the coverage of more bentonite sediments. Meanwhile, the corrosion rate of NiCu steel was obviously decreased. In addition, the localized corrosion tendency of the steel could also be reduced by the large amount of deteriorated bentonite sediments.

Key words: Low alloy steel, Bentonite, Corrosion behavior, Corrosion products, Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)

Xin Wei, Junhua Dong, Yupeng Sun, Nan Chen, Qiying Ren, Madhusudan Dhakal, Xiaofang Li, Wei Ke. Influence of Deteriorated Bentonite Sediments on the Corrosion Behavior of NiCu Low Alloy Steel[J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2022, 35(6): 1011-1022.

Figures/Tables 16

Fig. 1 Schematic diagram of experimental apparatus

Fig. 2 Potentiodynamic polarization curves and open-circuit potential curves of NiCu low alloy steel in different simulated environments: a blank solution, b top supernatant, c bottom slurry

Table 1 Electrochemical parameters of NiCu low alloy steel obtained by fitting the potentiodynamic polarization curves

Environments	Blank solution	Top supernatant	Bottom slurry
E_corr (V vs. SCE)	- 0.689	- 0.723	- 0.753
I_corr (μA cm^-2)	149.6	123.3	53.27

Fig. 3 Macroscopic photographs of NiCu low alloy steel specimens after immersed in the blank solution for 56 days and in top supernatant/bottom slurry for 52 days

Fig. 4 a Cross-sectional morphology and b EDS of the rust layer on NiCu steel immersed in the blank solution for 56 days

Fig. 5 a Cross-sectional morphology and b EDS of the rust layer on NiCu steel immersed in top supernatant for 52 days

Fig. 6 a Cross-sectional morphology and b EDS of the rust layer on NiCu steel immersed in bottom slurry for 52 days

Fig. 7 XRD spectra of the corrosion products in different simulated environments: a blank solution for 56 days, b top supernatant for 52 days, c bottom slurry for 52 days

Fig. 8 EIS evolution of NiCu low alloy steel immersed in the blank solution: a impedance modulus vs. frequency plots, b phase angle vs. frequency plots

Fig. 9 EIS evolution of NiCu low alloy steel immersed in top supernatant: a impedance modulus vs. frequency plots, b phase angle vs. frequency plots

Fig. 10 EIS evolution of NiCu low alloy steel immersed in bottom slurry: a impedance modulus vs. frequency plots, b phase angle vs. frequency plots

Fig. 11 Equivalent circuit models for fitting the EIS data of NiCu low alloy steel: a (QHFs(Rs(Qo(RoW))(QdlRct))), b (QHFs(Rs(QrRr)(QdlRct))) or (QHFs(Rs(QHRH)(QdlRct)))

Fig. 12 Schematic diagram of the corrosion mechanism of NiCu low alloy steel in different environments

Table 2 Fitting results of EIS in the blank solution

Time (d)	R_s (Ω·cm²)	Y_0-o(Y_0-r) (S·sⁿ·cm^-2)	n_o(n_r)	R_o(R_r) (Ω·cm²)	Y_0-W (S s^0.5 cm^-2)	Y_0-dl (S sⁿ cm^-2)	n_dl	R_ct (Ω cm²)
Initial	15.3	0.00095	1	55.6	0.0011	0.00024	0.82	739
4	10.9	0.074	0.44	163	-	0.0050	0.80	1337
13	10.6	0.0085	0.73	36.5	-	0.0063	0.87	1075
20	10.6	0.010	0.71	36.7	-	0.0066	0.87	1081
33	9.7	0.0092	0.71	113	-	0.0095	0.92	2185
48	13.7	0.0076	0.74	159	-	0.0086	0.93	2494
56	12.7	0.0084	0.83	66.0	-	0.0091	0.87	1691

Table 3 Fitting results of EIS for NiCu steel in top supernatant

Time (d)	R_s (Ω cm²)	Y_0-o(Y_0-r) (S sⁿ cm^-2)	n_o(n_r)	R_o(R_r) (Ω·cm²)	Y_0-W (S s^0.5 cm^-2)	Y_0-dl (S sⁿ cm^-2)	n_dl	R_ct (Ω cm²)
Initial	10.5	0.00018	0.90	213	0.00019	0.0049	0.60	833
4	9.1	0.00062	1	298	0.00011	0.0034	0.74	1386
13	15.7	0.013	0.72	164	-	0.011	0.89	1725
24	19.0	0.014	0.60	256	-	0.008	0.78	2687
31	19.4	0.0085	0.60	479	-	0.009	0.85	2936
45	32.4	0.0038	0.49	635	-	0.0040	0.87	3047
52	29.5	0.0035	0.49	658	-	0.0043	0.88	3119

Table 4 Fitting results of EIS for NiCu steel in bottom slurry

Time (d)	R_s (Ω cm²)	Y₀-_H (S sⁿ cm^-2)	n_H	R_H (Ω·cm²)	Y_0-dl (S·sⁿ·cm^-2)	n_dl	R_ct (Ω·cm²)
Initial	16.0	0.00072	0.77	198	0.00056	0.82	867
4	16.1	0.0013	0.74	417	0.00042	1	2044
13	16.1	0.0028	0.79	1185	0.00050	0.96	7804
20	14.6	0.0021	0.96	586	0.0015	0.87	3238
31	15.3	0.0035	1	697	0.0023	0.90	3954
45	15.1	0.0055	0.98	843	0.0037	0.91	4626
52	15.5	0.0070	0.98	933	0.0046	0.91	5559

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