Corrosion behavior of δ-ferrite in AISI 316 austenitic stainless steel exposed to oxygen-saturated lead‑bismuth eutectic at 550 °C

δ-ferrite is usually found in the 300 series austenitic stainless steels (ASS), but the role of δ-ferrite on corrosion behaviors exposed to oxygen-controlled lead–bismuth eutectic (LBE) has not yet been elucidated. The corrosion behaviors of AISI 316 ASS containing δ-ferrite in the oxygen-saturated static LBE at 550 °C were studied in terms of their solution-treated and accelerated-aging treated conditions. The δ-ferrite and decomposed δ-ferrite exhibit the superior resistance to oxidation attack compared to the austenite, and the δ-ferrite possesses a better corrosion resistance than the decomposed δ-ferrite. Compared with the austenite, the higher diffusivities of Cr and Si in δ-ferrite cause a reduction in the critical concentration required for the formation of chromium oxide and Si-rich oxide. A mixture of Cr2O3 oxide and Fe-Cr-Si spinel oxide developed on the surface of δ-ferrite can effectively impede the metal transfer, leading to the superior resistance to oxidation attack. The retained δ-ferrite and M23C6 carbides in the decomposed δ-ferrite oxidizes independently into FeCr2O4 and Cr2O3 oxides, respectively. The presence of Cr2O3 scale around the retained δ-ferrite decreases its oxidation rate, resulting in the non-uniform oxide phenomenon.