Aluminum Corrosion under Alkaline Circumstances while LiNO₃ Concentration Is Lowered

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to examine the enhancement of hydrogen gas generation when the LiH 2AlO₂middot;5H₂O (or “Li—Al”) preservation film formed on aluminum materials was gradually depleted after land disposal of cement-solidified dry active wastes.

In these experiments, an aluminum specimen overlaid with the Li—Al preservation film was placed in a reaction beaker and exposed to flowing alkaline water (pH 12.3) to deplete lithium content of the Li—Al preservation film in lithium content gradually. Then, the volume of hydrogen gas generation from the specimen and lithium concentration in the reaction beaker outflow were measured. The specimen surface was also examined by X-ray diffraction and SIMS to see if there was any change in its structure.

As water flow rate was lowered, depletion of the Li—Al preservation film became slower, so that the aluminum corrosion rate, which was calculated from results of the hydrogen gas generation measurements, was small. Because the actual flow rate was very small, it did not seem a quick increase in gas generation occurred. In addition, hydrogen gas generation was smaller, too. This was because part of the surface of the Li—Al layer dissolved to form a fresh Al(OH)₃ layer which covered the Li—Al preservation film left and prevented its dissolution.

KEYWORDS:

• cement solidification
• dry active wastes
• aluminum
• land disposal
• corrosion protection
• lithium nitrate
• lithium aluminate double salt
• hydrogen
• underground water
• flow rate