Mechanism of hydrogen absorption during the exposure of alloy 600-like single-crystals to PWR primary simulated media

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the mechanism responsible for the hydrogen absorption in alloy 600 exposed to pressurized water reactors primary water in order to evaluate the possible role of hydrogen in the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of this alloy exposed to these environmental conditions. Alloy 600-like single-crystals were exposed to a simulated PWR medium where the hydrogen atoms of water or of the pressuring hydrogen gas were isotopically substituted with deuterium, used as a tracer. SIMS profiling of deuterium was used to characterize the deuterium absorption and localization in the passivated alloy. The results show that the hydrogen absorption during the exposure of the alloy to PWR primary water is associated with the water molecules dissociation during the built up of the passive film.