Cesium corrosion process in Fe-Cr steel

A cesium corrosion out-pile test was performed to Fe-Cr steel in a simulated fuel pin environment. In order to specify the corrosion products, the corroded area was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A cesium corrosion process in Fe-Cr steel was successfully developed proceeding from both experimental results and thermochemical consideration. The corroded area was mainly formed by Fe layer and Fe depleted oxidized layer. The Fe depleted oxidized layer was formed by Cr0.5Fe0.5 and Cr2O3. The presumed main corrosion reactions were 2Cr+23O2→Cr2O3(ΔG650°C=-894.1kJ/mol) and Cr23C6+46Cs+46O2→23Cs2CrO4+6C(ΔG650°C=-25018.1kJ/mol). Factors of these reactions are chromium, carbon, oxygen and cesium. Therefore, cesium corrosion progression must be dependent on the chromium content, carbon content in the steel, the supply rate of oxygen and temperature which correlated with the diffusion rate of cesium and oxygen into the specimen.