Comparison of the corrosion behavior of austenitic and ferritic/martensitic steels exposed to static liquid Pb–Bi at 450 and 550°C

Static corrosion tests of various steels were conducted in oxygen-saturated liquid Pb–Bi eutectic at 450 °C and 550 °C for 3000 h to study the effects of temperature and alloying elements on corrosion behavior in liquid Pb–Bi. Corrosion depth decreases at 450 °C with increasing Cr content in steels regardless of ferritic/martensitic steels or austenitic steels. Appreciable dissolution of Ni and Cr does not occur in the three austenitic steels at 450 °C. Corrosion depth of ferritic/martensitic steels also decreases at 550 °C with increasing Cr content in steels whereas corrosion depth of austenitic steels, JPCA and 316SS becomes larger due to ferritization caused by dissolution of Ni at 550 °C than that of ferritic/martensitic steels. An austenitic stainless steel containing about 5%Si exhibits fine corrosion resistance at 550 °C because the protective Si oxide film is formed and prevents dissolution of Ni and Cr.