Electrochemical study on the corrosion behaviors of 316 SS in HITEC molten salt at different temperatures

Corrosion behaviors of 316 SS in HITEC molten salt at 450 °C, 600 °C and 680 °C are studied by electrochemical methods. The corrosion process of 316 SS in HITEC molten salt all exhibit active corrosion characteristic at these three temperatures. 316 SS resists to the corrosion of HITEC molten salt at 450 °C, suffers severe corrosion at 680 °C, and shows discontinuously increasing trend for the corrosion rate from 600 °C to 680 °C. The increasing corrosion rate can be explained by the dissolution of the protective Cr2O3 at 600 °C and 680 °C.132