Corrosion of Fe9Cr1Mo steel in stagnant liquid lead–lithium eutectic

The corrosion behaviour of Fe9Cr1Mo steel samples in a static Pb83Li17 eutectic melt at 823 K in a specially designed necked quartz capsule is investigated. The samples are kept isothermally for 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 h. The changes in microstructure and depletion of alloying components of the sample kept for 2000 h have been studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy disperses X-rays (EDS) and electron probe beam microanalysis (EPMA). Weight loss and thinning of the walls has been calculated by gravimetric analysis method for all the samples. Using this data the change in thickness per year is calculated. Preferential dissolution of major constituent elements namely iron and chromium from the samples with the formation of a ferritic–martenstic layer is observed. Percentage mass loss with respect to time follows a parabolic curve which indicates non linear mechanism of corrosion.