Corrosion behavior of 1.4970 (15-15 Ti) austenitic steel in Pb-Bi eutectic (LBE) was investigated depending on the structural state of material. Samples after solution annealing and subsequent 20 and 40 % reduction by cold rolling, as well as sample in as-received state were exposed to static LBE at 550°C for 1100 and 2200 h. Concentration of oxygen during tests ranged from 10-8 to 5×10^<-11> mass%O. After 1100 h, samples revealed selective leaching of Ni and Cr resulting in formation of a ferrite layer penetrated by LBE. The maximum depth of corrosion attack increases in the following sequence: solution annealed state (〜12 μm); 20% reduction (〜110 μm); as-received state (〜115 μm) and 40% reduction (〜170 μm). Similar corrosion trend was observed after 2200 h with maximum depth of attack increasing gradually from solution annealed sample (〜220 μm) to 20% cold working (〜450 μm) and then to 40% (〜620 μm). However, maximum corrosion depth of sample in as-received state does not exceed 〜60 μm. Effect of cold working on the corrosion response of steels is discussed taking into account existing literature data.
