Accelerated corrosion of stainless steels with the presence of molten carbonates below 923 K

The high-temperature corrosion of stainless steels (SUS316L and SUS310S) in the presence of lithium-potassium eutectic carbonate and lithium-sodium eutectic carbonate has been studied by thermogravimetry and the metal consumption method under a carbon dioxide-oxygen atmosphere in the temperature range of 773-1123 K. Although the corrosion of SUS310S obeyed the parabolic rate law for all reaction conditions, the corrosion of SUS316L significantly depended on the reaction conditions. At or above 923 K, the corrosion of SUS316L obeyed the parabolic rate law, even with a carbonate coating. The corrosion rates were accelerated during the initial period of corrosion tests below 923 K, especially around 823 K with a lithium-sodium carbonates coating. The initial accelerated corrosion was a local corrosion, which produced through holes in the metal specimens, and occurred more clearly at higher carbon dioxide partial pressures with the lithium-sodium carbonate coating than with the lithium-potassium carbonate coating.