Cathodic Protection for Nuclear Waste Packaging Under Gamma Ray Irradiation by Using TiO2 Coating Combined with Glass Scintillators

Abstract

AbstractThe photoelectrochemical behaviours of a TiO2 single crystal and TiO2 coating were studied, for the purposes of cathodic protection of stainless steels and Cu via the TiO2 coating combined with glass scintillators under gamma ray irradiation. It was confirmed that a TiO2 coating could protect 304 stainless steel cathodically from crevice corrosion under illumination. A logarithmic relationship between the photopotential of single crystal TiO2(rutile) and light intensity was found, moreover, the photopotential was found to be least noble when wavelength equals 375 nm. Under illumination by gamma rays combined with the glass scintillators, the electrode potential of single crystal TiO2 was found to shift in the less noble direction by about 200 mV. Therefore, the technique of cathodic protection by TiO2 coating is considered to be applicable to protect the packaging metal from corrosion for a long time.