A Functionally Graded Composite for Resisting Corrosion in Lead-Bismuth Cooled Nuclear Reactors at Temperatures up to 700°C

he goal of this project is to develop a Functionally Graded Composite (FGC) to resist liquid Pb-Bi corrosion in Lead Fast Reactors. Currently Lead Fast Reactors are limited at about 600°C by material performance - liquid Pb-Bi corrodes the steel coolant piping and fuel cladding at a very high rate. Steels high in chromium and silicon have been shown to resist Pb-Bi corrosion very well, but they do not retain the tensile strength needed to stay servicable at high (~700°C) temperatures. In addition, silicon alloys become very brittle upon exposure to radiation. In this project we will demonstrate the commercial feasibility of making pipe and tube with a structurally sound wall and a corrosion resistant layer to stop Pb-Bi corrosion. A ferritic/martensitic steel (T91) and an ODS steel (MA957) will be compared in terms of cost and performance.