Wilbraham, Richard James and Boxall, Colin and Taylor, Robin J (2018) Photocatalytically Driven Dissolution of Macroscopic Nickel Surfaces. Corrosion Science, 131. pp. 137-146. ISSN 1879-0496
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Abstract
Photocatalytically generated H2O2-driven nickel dissolution has been studied as a novel, secondary waste minimal decontamination process for nuclear process steels. Nickel corrosion experiments in dilute H2SO4 show that at deliberately added [H2O2] ≤ 1 mM, nickel dissolution occurs via formation and dissolution of NiOH groups; at [H2O2] ≥ 10 mM (pseudo-)passivation by NiO prevents this. Furthermore, Nickel also dissolves slowly in mild acid, dissolution that is significantly accelerated in the presence of photogenerated peroxide – suggesting that photocatalytically generated H2O2 could be used to selectively increase dissolution of Ni, and potentially steel, surfaces that normally dissolve only slowly in mild acid.