Abstract
Alumina-forming austenitic steels (AFA steels) exhibit excellent creep resistance and oxidation capabilities, making them a strong candidate for cladding materials in lead-cooled fast reactors. This study investigates the corrosion resistance of Mn-containing AFA steels in lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) at 550 °C with a controlled oxygen concentration of 10(-6) wt.%. The results demonstrate that under these experimental conditions, the addition of Al enhances the material's resistance to lead-bismuth corrosion. Moreover, Mn incorporation significantly improves corrosion resistance, with the optimal composition being an AFA alloy containing 16 wt.% Ni, 12 wt.% Cr, 3 wt.% Al, and 4 wt.% Mn. Mn addition alters the type of oxide product formed on the alloy surface, shifting from Fe(3)O(4) or (Fe, Cr)(x)O(y) to (Cr, Mn)(x)O(y).