Experimental setup for steel corrosion characterization in lead bath

Steel samples in a lead bath under controlled oxygen activity were studied for corrosion in a new experimental device (COXCIMEL). The static lead bath has a volume of similar to0.5 and was kept under helium or hydrogenated he lium atmosphere. The oxygen content in the bath and in the flowing gas was controlled and monitored using yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)-based senso rs and an oxygen zirconia pump. The steel sample treatments were carried ou t in the temperature range of 450-500 degreesC for ca 30 days. Special atte mpts were carried out to find steel embrittlement conditions. Samples were characterized after extraction from the bath. The description of the experi mental setup functioning is given. The preliminary characterization of the samples and other results obtained are presented in this paper. (C) 2001 El sevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.