Corrosion investigations of steels in flowing lead at 400 degrees C and 550 degrees C

Experiments were conducted in a liquid lead pumped loop at 400 degreesC and 550 degreesC to examine the corrosion behaviour of ferritic and austenitic steels. The aim of this work is to identify suitable structural containmen t materials for a lead cooled accelerator driven transmutation reactor (ADS ). During exposure to liquid lead containing 3-4 x 10(-5) wt% oxygen, prote ctive oxide layers grow on the surface of each candidate alloy. The total t hickness of the multiphase layers increases parabolically with increasing e xposure time. After 3000 h, they reach a maximum of 50 mum. on one ferritic steel (Optifer) and of 30-40 mum on electron pulse-treated austenitic stee ls. Austenites with an untreated surface develop oxide layers of just 1-2 m um thickness. In each case the oxide layers prevent the dissolution attack of liquid lead. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.