Radioactive waste canisters

[wacki]

http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/7982/41610372finnucewaste34164nw.gif

Why is the outer shell copper? Iron is for strength obviously. The clay seals out water. The inert gas prevents corrosion but I don't get the copper.

[Rduke55]

Resistant to corrosion (and cheaper than the other corrosion-resistant metals).

[wacki]

maybe, although I would expect them to use Cupronickel for that. Maybe they were just simplifying things.

[MadTiger]

gh

http://www.copper.org/innovations/1998/12/nuclear.html