Corrosion Electrochemistry of Fuel Element Materials in Pond Storage Conditions

Magnox corrosion has proved to be a complex and dynamic system and the formation of a passive layer and propensity to subsequent breakdown are dictated by various environmental factors, including pH, anion concentration and inhibition. This has demanded the development and application of novel techniques and real time observations of pitting initiation and propagation have been made. Empirical models have been formulated from experimental data allowing prediction of the onset of localized corrosion and the application of finite element techniques for deterministic prediction is proposed.