A Novel Facility for Studying Corrosion via in-situ Raman Spectroscopy and Proton Irradiation: Oxidation of Proton Irradiated and Cold-Worked SS 304L in Water at 300°C

Abstract

Several in-core components in nuclear power systems are exposed to high-temperature water in the presence of radiation fields. The dynamic effect of radiation and water chemistry on material performance is not well understood partly due to experimental difficulty. A novel facility consisting of a high temperature and pressure corrosion loop coupled with in-situ Raman spectroscopy and proton irradiation has been commissioned to examine material behaviour in more realistic reactor conditions. The facility enables degradation studies of key nuclear components such as the calandria (304L stainless steel), pressure tubing (Zr alloys) and proposed fuel cladding (Fe-Cr-Al). An objective of this study was to evaluate the oxide development on as-received, cold-worked and proton irradiated SS 304L in water at 300°C via in-situ Raman spectroscopy over a 48-hour period. Results reported indicate that the in-situ Raman was successful at detecting changes in the metal oxide chemistry with time, and provides a feasible pathway for kinetic studies. The as-received and 0.1 dpa SS displayed similar oxidation behaviour across all timespans, indicating that the damage imparted by protons was not sufficient to manifest a detectable change in the oxide. However, modification of the spinel structure and different oxidation kinetics with time were observed for the 3.0 dpa and cold-worked SS.