Combined effect of gamma-radiation and pH on corrosion of Ni–Cr–Fe alloy inconel 600

•Corrosion of Inconel 600 involves mainly Fe and Ni oxidation with minimal Cr oxidation.•Metal oxidation leads to two competing processes, oxide growth and dissolution.•Gamma-radiation increases the Fe and Ni oxidation rates, but its effect varies with pH.•Increased oxidation leads preferentially to oxide growth at pH25 °C 10.6.•Increased oxidation leads preferentially to dissolution at pH25 °C 6.0.

The effect of γ-radiation on the corrosion of Ni–Cr–Fe alloy Inconel 600 was studied at pH25 °C 6.0, 8.4 and 10.6 at 150 °C by analyzing both the corroded surfaces and dissolved metal loss. Exposed to γ-radiation water decomposes to a range of redox active species. This increases the metal oxidation rate initially, but the consequence of this increase varies with pH. At pH25 °C 10.6 where the solubilities of FeII and NiII are near their minima, the increase in metal oxidation rate mostly increases solid oxide/hydroxide growth. At a lower pH it increases metal ion dissolution more.