ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Interaction of metallic zirconium and its alloys Zry-2 and E110 with molten eutectic salt of LiF–NaF–KF containing zirconium fluoride components

Viliam Pavlík, Peter Barborík, Miroslav Boča, and Zuzana Vasková

Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 36 Bratislava, Slovakia

E-mail: viliam.pavlik@savba.sk

Abstract: The interactions of selected zirconium alloys used as special construction materials (Zr-pure, Zry-2, E-110) with the molten system of (LiF-NaF-KF)(_eut.) with additions of K₂ZrF₆ or Na₇Zr₆F₃₁ were studied. Corrosion losses of pure zirconium decrease sharply with 5 mole % addition of K₂ZrF₆ to (LiF-NaF-KF)(_eut.). The presence of alloying additives (Sn, Nb) has a positive influence on corrosion resistance in the eutectic mixture - up to 60 % increase in corrosion resistance in comparison with pure zirconium. The mass losses of pure zirconium indicate an increasing corrosion attack with increasing Na₇Zr₆F₃₁ content in (LiF-NaF-KF)(_eut.) mixtures.

Keywords: molten salts – zirconium – mass loss – high temperature corrosion

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1515/chempap-2015-0202

Chemical Papers 70 (2) 197–205 (2016)