Study on LBE corrosion failure of FeAl/Al2O3 coatings after ion irradiation

FeAl/Al 2 O 3 coatings, candidate coating materials for lead -cooled fast reactors, are first irradiated to produce predefects and then subjected to lead -bismuth eutectic corrosion to simulate the performance in the coupled field of irradiation and corrosion. Irradiation causes voids in the outer Al 2 O 3 layer resulting in irradiation swelling and causes lattice distortion and dislocations in the inner FeAl layer resulting in compressive strain and intercrystalline void expansion. The weakened coatings crack during corrosion and suffer from Pb, Bi, and O penetration, causing internal corrosion and oxidation. Beyond the cracked areas, the coatings demonstrate commendable corrosion resistance with minimal penetration. The irradiation -induced structural evolution and the subsequent lead -bismuth eutectic corrosion failure of the coatings are elucidated in detail.