High-temperature corrosion behavior of 316 H stainless steel in lead-bismuth eutectic containing Tellurium

The 316H stainless steel used as a pipework material for lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) coolant, fission byproducts Tellurium (Te) may enter LBE under operating conditions. This work presents the results of the corrosion behavior of 316H stainless steel in LBE containing 1.0 wt% Te at 600 °C for 216 hours. It is found that the addition of Te significantly accelerates the corrosion of 316H stainless steel under identical corrosive conditions. The Te in LBE destroys the Cr 2 O 3 layer on the surface of 316H stainless steel and reacts with Cr 23 C 6 enriched at grain boundaries, which leads to the infiltration of LBE into 316H stainless steel along the grain boundaries. Over time, the Inner Oxide Layer (IOL) and Outer Oxide Layer (OOL) develop on the surface of 316H stainless steel, and the reaction between Te and Cr 2 O 3 destroys the integrity of the IOL.