Corrosion behavior of 9CrODS steel by simulated fission product cesium and tellurium

Out-of-pile FCCI tests for 9CrODS steel were performed at 973 K by using simulated fission products Cs and Te under the oxygen potential in equilibrium with Fe/FeO and Cr/Cr2O3. Al2O3 powder were inserted to reduce a concentration of the Cs and Te in the system; its molar fraction is Cs:Te:Al2O3 = 1:1:1000. From EPMA and XRD analyses, Cr2O3 was formed at the most outer layer, which significantly suppressed the fission product corrosion. Cr2Te3 was also produced at the outer layer and interior of 9CrODS steel through liquid Te migration along grain boundaries. It was demonstrated the corrosion depth of 9CrODS steel is between PNC-FMS and PNC316, which were tested as reference. The Cs and Te assisted corrosion of 9CrODS steel was thermodynamically analyzed through the formation of Cs2O, Cs3CrO4, Cr2O3 and Cr2Te3.