Thin layer mixed potential model for the corrosion of high level nuclear waste canisters

The disposal of high-level nuclear waste (HLNW) represents a major technological challenge for all nations that operate nuclear reactors. The principal goal of this technology is to isolate the waste forms containing various radio nuclides from the biosphere for a period in excess of 1000 years and possibly longer. This must be done with exceptional reliability, since any break of the canister is unacceptable ecologically. The most likely cause of failure of the engineered barrier is corrosion, with various forms of localized attack (e.g., pitting corrosion) being considered the most probable