Geopolymer, a nanoporous aluminosilicate filled with water and ions, has been selected as a potential matrix to encapsulate MgZr alloy fuel cladding. In this study, we investigate the evolution of the corrosion products formed during the corrosion of MgZr in poral solutions extracted from geopolymers with and without NaF as corrosion inhibitor. Using various characterization techniques such as Scanning Electron and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopies coupled to Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction, we show that the amounts of dissolved silica and fluoride species in solution are the key parameters driving the nature of corrosion products and probably their passivating properties regarding MgZr corrosion.
Keywords: TEM; X-ray Diffraction; alkaline corrosion; geopolymer; interfaces; magnesium alloys; passive film evolution.