Effects of liquid lead bismuth eutectic on the mechanical properties of A316L and T91 materials

Danislav Sapundjiev, Abderrahim Al Mazouzi, Steven Van Dyck

    Research outputpeer-review

    Abstract

    The effects of liquid metals on the physical properties of metals exposed to them can be summarized in two major groups: general liquid metal corrosion and localized liquid metal corrosion. The first group consists of all processes affecting the integrity of the exposed materials in a uniform way that is penetration, dissolution and leaching or preferential dissolution of alloying elements with high solubility. These processes can be predicted and sometimes controlled for example by impurities like oxygen. The latter may be used to form a protective oxide scale that can mitigate to acceptable rates the above corrosion processes. However when the materials in contact with the liquid metal are stressed and undergo elastic and plastic deformation, any available oxide scale will be cracked and contact between the liquid and the solid metals may lead to sudden premature brittle failure known as liquid metal embrittlement. The phenomena of liquid metal embrittlement may pose problems to the recently developed advanced nuclear machines (accelerator driven systems, IVth generation nuclear reactors, fission reactors, etc). The effects of liquid lead bismuth eutectic (LBE) on the mechanical properties of two primary selected materials for ADS MYRRHA have been investigated at 200 and 250°C under oxygen free and controlled conditions by slow strain rate tests (SSRT). The later were performed in autoclave designed for tests under PWR conditions. Special stainless steel lining was used to contain the molten metal. The effect of the liquid metal was estimated by comparison with SSRT tests carried out under the same conditions (temperature, strain rate) in inert environment (Ar, N2). Although both materials differ in structure (fcc of A316L against bcc of T91), they respond in a similar way on the exposure to liquid lead bismuth eutectic. None of them was found susceptible to liquid metal embrittlement (LME).
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationEffects of liquid lead bismuth eutectic on the mechanical properties of A316L and T91 materials
    Place of PublicationBelgium
    Pages1-7
    StatePublished - Jul 2005
    EventEUROCORR 2005 - University of Lisbon, Lisbon
    Duration: 4 Sep 20058 Sep 2005

    Conference

    ConferenceEUROCORR 2005
    Country/TerritoryPortugal
    CityLisbon
    Period2005-09-042005-09-08

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