Effect of irradiation damage on corrosion of 4H-SiC in FLiNaK molten salt

The corrosion behavior of 4H-SiC in the FLiNaK molten salt (650 °C), pre-irradiated with 70-keV Si ions to 2.5 dpa at 650 °C, was investigated in order to clarify the effect of irradiation on corrosion. The irradiated region of 4H-SiC is peeled off by the molten salt, and the corrosion depth is nearly consistent with the irradiation damage depth. Molten salt corrosion leads to the loss of Si element and the formation of carbon-rich phase in irradiated 4H-SiC surface. The broken of Si-C bonds induced by irradiation plays a key role in the irradiation-assisted corrosion of SiC.