Influence of irradiation on water-saturated corrosion of carbon steels at 80°C

Two grades of carbon steel were exposed between 3 and 18 months at 80 degrees C, with and without irradiation (maximum: 20 Gy/hr), in 100% humid atmosphere but some specimens were also half or totally immersed in a caustic solution. The main observations are: No significant differences regarding the corrosion behavior between the two carbon steel grades were observed. Generalized but nonuniform corrosion was observed in all the test conditions. There was a large degree of scattering in the corrosion damage in a 100% humid atmosphere and this is attributed to the heterogeneity of atmospheric corrosion initiation. Corroded areas neighboring noncorroded areas were observed on the fully immersed and semi-immersed specimens. No major differences between the specimens exposed to irradiation and those that were not irradiated were observed; except for immersed specimens, the maximum corrosion depths were obtained under irradiations. (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)