A high-resolution characterization of surface film formed on alloys 800 and 690 exposed to chloride and thiosulfate-containing solution at 300°C

PurposeThis paper aims to characterize the surface film formed on Alloys 800 and 690 in chloride and thiosulfate-containing solution at 300 degrees C.Design/methodology/approachAlloy 800 and 690 were immersed in chloride and thiosulfate-containing solution at 300 degrees C up to five days, and then the surface film was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometers (EDX).FindingsThrough static immersion experiments in a high-temperature and high-pressure water environment, the alloy samples covered by surface film after five days of immersion were obtained. The morphology of the surface film was characterized at both horizontal and cross-sectional scales using SEM and focused ion beam-TEM techniques. It was observed that due to the influence of the quartz lining, the surface film primarily exhibited a bilayered structure. The first layer contained a significant amount of SiO2, with a higher content of metal hydroxides compared to metal oxides. The second layer was predominantly composed of Fe, Ni and Cr, with a higher content of metal oxides compared to metal hydroxides.Originality/valueThe results showed that the materials of the lining of the autoclave could significantly influence the film composition of the tested material, which should be paid attention when analyzing the corrosion mechanism at high temperature.