Inhibition of iron corrosion in high temperature stagnant liquid lead: A molecular dynamics study

Abstract

Corrosion property of iron in high temperature stagnant liquid lead has been studied using molecular dynamics method. The method was used to predict the limit values of the injected oxygen into the liquid lead for maximum corrosion inhibition of iron. It is from experimental results, in order to inhibit the corrosion at possible lowest rate then a stable self-healing protective iron oxide layer should be developed at the surface of steel continuously. In this research we investigated the iron corrosion and it can be predicted that the protective oxide layer may be formed by injecting oxygen within the range of 5.35×10−2wt% to 8.95×10−2wt% (for observed temperature 750°C). The oxygen 5.35×10−2wt% is the lower limit to prevent high dissolution of iron while the oxygen content of 8.95×10−2wt% is the upper limit to avoid high precipitation of lead oxide. We also guess that effect of oxygen injection into liquid lead creates a thin oxygen barrier that separating the liquid lead and iron oxides from direct interaction. The iron oxides layer and oxygen barrier then may be regarded as double corrosion inhibition.