Lead/carbon steel galvanic corrosion evaluation

Abstract In a study aimed to select a carbon steel for its possible use as a liner for a high level radioactive waste canister, galvanic corrosion tests of lead/carbon steel galvanic couples in groundwater and in seawater were performed at 75°C. Lead behaved anodically due to a current polarity inversion phenomenon, and therefore corroded preferentially. This polarity inversion is temperature dependent. Under the same conditions, commercial lead showed higher corrosion rates in groundwater than high purity lead. No current polarity inversion was detected in galvanic tests performed either in bentonite suspensions in groundwater or in seawater.