Microscale Electrochemical Corrosion of Uranium Oxide Particles.
Micromachines (Basel)
; 14(9)2023 Sep 01.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37763890
ABSTRACT
Understanding the corrosion of spent nuclear fuel is important for the development of long-term storage solutions. However, the risk of radiation contamination presents challenges for experimental analysis. Adapted from the system for analysis at the liquid-vacuum interface (SALVI), we developed a miniaturized uranium oxide (UO2)-attached working electrode (WE) to reduce contamination risk. To protect UO2 particles in a miniatured electrochemical cell, a thin layer of Nafion was formed on the surface. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) shows a dense layer of UO2 particles and indicates their participation in electrochemical reactions. Particles remain intact on the electrode surface with slight redistribution. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals a difference in the distribution of U(IV), U(V), and U(VI) between pristine and corroded UO2 electrodes. The presence of U(V)/U(VI) on the corroded electrode surface demonstrates that electrochemically driven UO2 oxidation can be studied using these cells. Our observations of U(V) in the micro-electrode due to the selective semi-permeability of Nafion suggest that interfacial water plays a key role, potentially simulating a water-lean scenario in fuel storage conditions. This novel approach offers analytical reproducibility, design flexibility, a small footprint, and a low irradiation dose, while separating the α-effect. This approach provides a valuable microscale electrochemical platform for spent fuel corrosion studies with minimal radiological materials and the potential for diverse configurations.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Language:
En
Journal:
Micromachines (Basel)
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United States