Microbiologically-Facilitated Effects on the Surface Composition of Alloy 22, A Candidate Nuclear Waste Packaging Material

The effects of microbiological activities on the surface composition of Alloy 22 was investigated. Prior studies suggesting microbially-generated selective dissolution of chromium from Alloy 22 were based solely on analyzing solubilized Alloy 22 elements. These and other investigations point to the insufficiencies of analyzing solubilized (or solubilized and reprecipitated) alloying elements to discern between homogeneous/stoichiometric dissolution and selective/non-stoichiometric dissolution of alloying elements. Therefore, an approach using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) to interrogate the surface layers of treated Alloy 22 specimens was taken to resolve this issue. Sputtering into the surface of the samples, coupled with XPS analysis at given intervals, allowed a high resolution quantitative elemental evaluation of the alloy as a function of depth. Biotically-incubated Alloy 22 show a region that could be depleted of chromium. Surfacial XPS analysis of these same coupons did not detect the presence of re-precipitated Alloy 22 component elements, also supporting the possible occurrence of non-stoichiometric dissolution. Thus, these preliminary data do not exclude the possibility of selective dissolution. It also appears that this experimental approach shows promise to unequivocally resolve this issue. Further tests using smoother-surface, more highly polished coupons should allow for better resolution between surface layers to permit a decisive determination of the mode of Alloy 22 dissolution using sputtering XPS analysis.