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Corrosion of Magnesium and Some Magnesium Alloys in Gas Cooled Reactors; CORROSION DU MAGNESIUM ET DE CERTAINS DE SES ALLIAGES DANS LES PILES REFROIDIES PAR GAZ

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4282523
The results of corrosion tests on magnesium and Mg--Zr and Mg--Zn--Zr alloys in dry and moist air and in CO/sub 2/ are reported. The corrosion of Mg in dry air is very slow even at 600 deg C. The maximum temperature for exposure of Mg to moist air without risk of corrosion is 350 deg C. Above 350 deg C the oxidation follows a linear law. Neutron irradiation appears to have no effect on the oxidation in either dry or moist air. If moist air is slightly charged wiih fluorinated compounds, the maxi-mum temperature before corrosion occurs is 500 deg C. In dry CO/sub 2/ the oxidation of Mg and its two alloys is very slow even at 500 deg C. In CO/sub 2/ at 15 atm the oxidation is low for all three samples, but the hehavior of the Mg--Zr alloy is the best. A neutron flux appears to have a negligible effect on the corrosion under these conditions. No important corrosion was observed in Mg--Zr alloys heated to 450 deg C in CO/sub 2/ charged with water vapor. (J.S.R.)
Research Organization:
Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Paris
NSA Number:
NSA-13-006790
OSTI ID:
4282523
Report Number(s):
A/CONF.15/P/1146
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English