Corrosion of Austenitic Steels and Their Components in Uranium-Containing Chloride Melts

The corrosion resistance of AISI 316L, 12Kh18N10T (analogue of AISI 321) austenitic stainless steels and their basic components (metallic iron, nickel, chromium, molybdenum) was investigated in the melts based on the NaCl–KCl equimolar mixture at 750 ºC. Austenitic stainless steels underwent high temperature sensitization, and it was shown that this phenomenon determined the intergranular type of the steel corrosion. It was demonstrated that the presence of uranium ions in the electrolyte intensified corrosion processes. Metallic molybdenum demonstrated the highest corrosion resistance among the construction materials studied.