Corrosion behaviour of unalloyed steel in Portland cement

The production of hydrogen can cause problems in a repository for low and intermediate level waste. Since the production of gas is mainly due to the corrosion of unalloyed steel, it is important to have as reliable data as possible for the corrosion rate in anaerobic cement. A review of the literature shows that the corrosion current densities are in the range of 0.01 to 0.1 μA/cm2 (corresponding to corrosion rates between 0.1 and 1.2 μm/a). This implies hydrogen production rates between 0.022 and 0.22 mol/(m2xa). Corrosion rates of the abovementioned order of magnitude are technically irrelevant, so that there is little interest in determining them accurately. Furthermore, their determination entails problems of measurement technique. In the present situation it would therefore appear risky to accept the lower value as proven. Experiments are proposed to reduce the present uncertainty. (author) 35 refs., 10 figs