CORROSION OF ANNEALED AISI-316 STAINLESS-STEEL IN SODIUM ENVIRONMENT

Solution annealed AISI type 316 austenitic stainless steel specimens w ere exposed in static sodium at 773 and 873 K for durations ranging fr om 500 to 2000 h. The results, i.e, weight loss data, hardness values, carburisation, depletion rates, sigma phase formation from the ferrit e layer, corrosion morphology, roughness values etc. are analysed and discussed in the paper. Corrosion data such as the weight loss/deplete d layer thickness and microstructure of fully annealed stainless steel specimens at 773 and 873 K under static sodium conditions (present st udy) are comparable to those of 20% cold worked stainless steel type 3 16 specimens at temperatures 973 K and above under dynamic sodium cond itions. Annealed specimens leach out at a faster rate than cold worked specimens exposed to sodium. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.