Local mechanical properties of corrosion layers formed on T91 and SS316L steels after exposure to static liquid LBE at 500 °C for 1000 h obtained by nano-indentation

Static corrosion tests in LBE under oxygen-saturated and –depleted conditions at 500 °C for 1000 h were conducted to investigate the corrosion-induced diffusion layers on T91 and SS316L steels subject to dissolution and oxidation corrosion. Following nano-indentation experiments examined the variation of local mechanical properties within the corrosion layers. Under the present conditions, T91 steel showed better resistance to dissolution corrosion while higher susceptibility to oxidation corrosion against SS316L. For both steels, nano-indentation results showed a gradual decrease in mechanical properties from steel matrix to the corrosion side after dissolution corrosion. When subject to oxidation corrosion, the oxide scale formed on T91 steel showed lower Er-modulus and enhanced hardness in comparison with those of the steel matrix. An obvious decrease in both modulus and hardness was found at the interface between steel matrix and oxide scale.