We have studied copper corrosion in a system comprised of deionized water, absolute pressure gauges, and a palladium membrane. A transition from O 2-consuming to H 2-evolving copper corrosion is observed, which indicates that copper can corrode by water itself. The equilibrium hydrogen pressure in corrosion of copper by water at 73°C exceeds the steady-state atmospheric hydrogen pressure ͑5 ϫ 10 −7 bar͒ by a factor of about 2000. The growth of a hydrogen-containing corrosion product in O 2-free water is controlled by the hydrogen removal from the corroding surface. The results are discussed in the perspective of conventional potential-pH diagram for copper.

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Hydrogen gas production during corrosion of copper by water Hultquist, G.; Graham, M. J.; Szakalos, P.; Sproule, G.I.; Rosengren, A.; Gråsjö, L.Contact us / Contactez nous: nparc.cisti@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca.

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According to a current concept, copper canisters of thickness 0.05 m will be safe for nuclear waste containment for 100,000 years. We show that more than 1 m copper thickness might be required for 100,000 years durability based on water exposures of copper for 20 h, 7 weeks, 15 years, and 333 years. An observed evolution of hydrogen which involves heterogeneous catalysis of molecular hydrogen, first principles simulations, thermodynamic considerations and corrosion product characterization provide further evidence that water corrodes copper resulting in the formation of a copper hydroxide. These findings cast additional doubt on copper for nuclear waste containment and other important applications.