Influence of preoxidation on the corrosion of steels in liquid lead-bismuth eutectic

Abstract Oxidation studies of martensitic/ferritic and austenitic steels have been conducted in static lead bismuth eutectic (LBE). Samples were preoxidized in an air/H2O gas mixture prior to immersion in LBE. Preoxidation films grown on HT-9 at 800°C for 48 h had a bilayer structure, an outer Fe-rich layer, and an inner Cr-rich layer. Glancing angle x-ray diffraction data found that two distinct structures were present in this oxide: Fe1+xCr2−xO4 spinel (cubic, face-centered cubic [fcc]) and (Cr,Fe)2O3 (rhombohedral, corundum). Magnetite formation (Fe3O4) was ruled out. Immersion in LBE resulted in the growth of an Fe-rich film on top of the preoxidation layer. It was concluded that the gr…