Stability of silver/silver chloride quasi-reference electrodes under gamma radiation for corrosion measurements

This study explored the long-term stability of silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) quasi-reference electrodes (QREs) for in-situ electrochemical measurements under gamma radiation at room temperature. Compared to full half-cell REs, QREs enable low-volume experiments and avoid frit obstruction. Both ex-situ open circuit potential and in-situ internal reference probe measurements were employed to confirm the reliability of the Ag/AgCl QREs for at least 33 days. The electrodes were implemented successfully for in-situ electrochemical corrosion measurements of copper under radiation, important for nuclear waste storage applications. This work sets the standards for validating other (quasi) reference electrodes under harsh conditions and confirms the stability of AgCl coatings for implementation of QREs for small-scale radioelectrochemical experiments. • Ag/AgCl quasi-reference electrodes exhibit long-term stability under ionizing radiation. • Novel internal reference measurements validate their reliability for in-situ electrochemical analysis. • Ag/AgCl is a robust quasi-reference electrode material for monitoring copper corrosion in irradiated environments.