Assessment of the influence of surface finishing and weld joints on the corrosion/oxidation behaviour of stainless steels in lead bismuth eutectic

The objective of this paper is to gain some insight into the influence of the surface finishing in the oxidation/corrosion behaviour of 316L and T91 steels in lead bismuth eutectic (LBE). Specimens of both materials with different surface states were prepared (as-received, grinded, grinded and polished, and electrolitically polished) and oxidation tests were carried out at 775 and 825 K from 100 to 2000 h for two different oxygen concentrations and for H2/H2O molar ratios of 3 and 0.03. The general conclusion for these tests is that the effect of surface finishing on the corrosion/protection processes is not significant under the tested conditions. ition the behaviour of weld joints, T91–T91 Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) and T91–316L have been also studied under similar conditions. The conclusions are that, whereas T91–T91 welded joint shows the same corrosion properties as the parent materials for the conditions tested, AISI 316L–T91 welded joint, present an important dissolution over seam area that it associated to the electrode 309S used for the fabrication process.