Behaviour Aspects of an EB-PVD Alumina (Al2O3) Film with an Interlayer (NiCrAlY) Deposited on AISI 316L Steel Investigated in Liquid Lead

Abstract

The use of lead as a primary coolant is one of the most attractive options for next-generation lead-cooled fast reactor systems (LFR). Despite many favourable features, liquid Pb is a harsh environment that induces many problems on metallic components. Therefore, candidate materials for LFR must be qualified, and the solutions to improve their properties must be found. This paper’s objective is to present the results obtained from the tensile tests of AISI 316L steel in liquid lead at 400 °C, 450 °C, and 500 °C, and the short-term corrosion tests performed on coated and uncoated AISI 316L steel at 550 °C. The coating was made of Al2O3 with a CrNiAlY interlayer using the electron beam-physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) technique. Both the mechanical and corrosion tests were performed in stagnant lead saturated with oxygen. After testing, the specimens were characterised by several analyses, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), optical microscopy (OM), scratching test, and Vickers micro-hardness test. The tensile test results highlight the ductile behaviour of the material, and in the case of the corrosion tests, the coatings prove to be effective in protecting the substrate from the harsh environment.

Additive Manufacturing of AISI 316L Stainless Steel: A Review

“…This material is commonly used in the petrochemical and chemical industries, where corrosion resistance at high temperatures is required [160]. In fact, due to its superior strength, resistance to high temperatures, and anticorrosive qualities, particularly in harsh environments, it is widely used in nuclear reactors [161][162][163][164][165], boilers [166][167][168], pipelines [169,170], heat exchangers [171][172][173], furnaces [174,175], and the oil and gas and chemical industries [176]. Due to the high mechanical strength and corrosion resistance, AISI 316L stainless steel is also used as a filter in food processing industries, where the stainless steel filters are subjected to severe conditions associated with the removal of solid particles from fluids [177][178][179].…”