Microstructural characterization of copper coatings for used nuclear fuel containers

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Canada's plan for the final storage of used nuclear fuel from the fleet of CANDU reactors operated across Canada is a Deep Geological Repository (DGR). Responsible for designing and implementing the DGR is the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), a not-for-profit organization reporting to the Minister of Natural Resources of Canada. NWMO is now implementing the Adaptive Phase Management (APM) plan for final nuclear waste storage. One of the most critical components in the waste storage, the Used Fuel Container (UFC), is currently under development by NWMO. This container consists of a high strength steel vessel coated with copper for long-term (e.g. 1 million years) corrosion resistance. NWMO has identified two coating technologies for the application process: electrodeposited (ED) copper and cold-spray (CS) copper. Currently NWMO has several research programs which assess the long-term corrosion and mechanical properties of ED and CS-copper. The research proposed here on a deep microstructural characterization of ED and CS copper is in support of developing a comprehensive understanding of microstructure-corrosion/mechanical property relationships for these materials. For this study, NWMO will provide the University of Toronto with several sections of UFC material cut from full-sized prototypes fabricated by NWMO in collaboration with their partners Integran Technologies Inc., Mississauga, ON and the National Research Council of Canada, Boucherville, QC. At the University state-of-the art electron microscopy characterization tools will be used to reveal the microstructural features that potentially could affect the long-term corrosion performance of the UFC. This research will provide training opportunities for 4 graduate students and 1 postdoctoral fellow. It will contribute significantly to the advancement of knowledge in the field of copper coating microstructures and their effects on performance as an engineered corrosion barrier for used nuclear fuel containers.