Shahrukh Shamim, Danish Raza and Joseph Damor
Reduced Activation Ferritic/Martensitic Steel (RAFMS) is used as a structural material in fusion energy systems. It is presently under development by several laboratories for the Indian Test Blanket Module for ITER. This paper presents the outcome of the compatibility of RAFM and P91 (9Cr-1Mo) Steel (as-received and cold worked) with static lead-17% lithium for 355 hours at two different temperatures viz. 823 K and 923 K. Suitable corrosion rates for RAFMS and P91 in Pb-17% Li are established. The effect of corrosion on the structural and morphological properties along with the possible mechanism of corrosion is studied. After 355 h of operation, samples of RAFMS and P91 both as-received and cold worked were analysed with the help of weight change measurements and Scanning Electron Microscope coupled with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The results showed preferential dissolution of metallic species like Fe, Cr and Mn from P91 as-received samples leading to weight loss. At lower temperature both as-received and cold worked samples of RAFMS gained weight due to oxidation, predominantly at the boundary region. Dissolution and deposition rates are found to be increasing with temperature in both P91 and RAFM steel specimens
