Stress corrosion of copper in sulfide solutions: Variations in pH‐buffer, strain rate, and temperature

Copper is the intended canister material for disposal of spent nuclear fuel in Sweden. At repository depth groundwater may contain dissolved sulfide. The main goal this work to study tendency stress corrosion copper sulfide solutions and examine influence various experimental parameters on corrosion. Slow strain rate testing was performed test rods with 1.0 mM pH kept near neutral phosphate or borate buffer. matrix included variations temperature, rate, duration tests as well salt buffer concentrations. Cross-sections specimens after were investigated using scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy detector. Stress–strain curves do not reveal any signs However, intergranular shape crack pit-like features developed all length deepest these same order magnitude (10–20 µm). suggested mechanism proposes that crack-like originate at surface metal from oxidation grain boundaries behave slightly less noble.