Radiation effects on polymers for coatings on copper canisters used for the containment of radioactive materials

The present work proposes applying polyurethane coatings as an additional barrier in the design of Canadian nuclear waste disposal containers. The goal of the present research is to investigate the physico-mechanical integrity of a natural castor oil-based polyurethane (COPU) to be used as a coating material in pH–radiation–temperature environments. As the first part to these inquiries, the present paper investigates the effect of a mixed radiation field supplied by a SLOWPOKE-2 nuclear research reactor on COPUs that differ only by their isocyanate structure. FTIR, DSC, DMA, WAXS, and MALDI are used to characterize the changes that occur as a result of radiation and to relate these changes to polymer structure and composition. The COPUs used in the present work have demonstrated sustained physico-mechanical properties up to accumulated doses of 2.0 MGy and are therefore suitable for end-uses in radiation environments such as those expected in the deep geological repository.