Studies on oxidation and deuterium permeation behavior of a low temperature α-Al2O3-forming Fe Cr Al ferritic steel

Abstract To evaluate the capability of Fe Cr Al ferritic steels as tritium permeation barrier in fusion systems, the oxidation behavior together with the permeation behavior of a Fe Cr Al steel was investigated. Gas driven permeation experiments were performed. The permeability of the oxidized Fe Cr Al steel was obtained and a reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steel CLF-1 was used as a comparison. In order to characterize the oxide layer, SEM, XPS, TEM, HRTEM were used. Al 2 O 3 was detected in the oxide film by XPS, and HRTEM showed that Al 2 O 3 in the α phase was found. The formation of α-Al 2 O 3 layer at a relatively low temperature may result from the formation of Cr 2 O 3 nuclei.