Corrosion Resistance of Vanadium Alloys Clad by a Ferritic Corrosion-Resistant Steel in Liquid-Metal Heat-Transfer Agents

The results of studying the corrosion resistances of steels of various classes and vanadium-based alloys in liquid-metal heat-transfer agents (lithium, sodium, lead) are analyzed. These structural materials are shown to have satisfactory corrosion resistance in high-purity liquid metals. However, a nitrogen impurity in lithium and an oxygen impurity in sodium and lead cause the degradation of the mechanical properties and the fracture of the vanadium alloys. The use of these alloys clad by a ferritic corrosion-resistant steel is shown to ensure high corrosion resistance of the fuel-element can materials in fast neutron reactors with sodium and lead heat-transfer agents.