Study of the corrosion behaviors of 304 austenite stainless steel specimens exposed to static liquid lithium at 600 K

Abstract Investigation of corrosion behavior of stainless steel served as one kind of structure materials exposed to liquid lithium (Li) is one of the keys to apply liquid Li as potential plasma facing materials (PFM) or blanket coolant in the fusion device. Corrosion experiments of 304 austenite stainless steel (304 SS) were carried out in static liquid Li at 600 K and up to1584 h at high vacuum with pressure less than 4 × 10 −4  Pa. After exposure to liquid Li, it was found that the weight of 304 SS slightly decreased with weight loss rate of 5.7 × 10 −4  g/m 2 /h and surface hardness increased by about 50 HV. Lots of spinel-like grains and holes were observed on the surface of specimens measured by SEM. By further EDS, XRD and metallographic analyzing, it was confirmed that the main compositions of spinel-like grains were M 23 C 6 carbides, and 304 SS produced a non-uniform corrosion behavior by preferential grain boundary attack, possibly due to the easy formation of M 23 C 6 carbides and/or formation of Li compound at grain boundaries.