Surface studies of Corrosion of Stainless Steel by Lead Bismuth Eutectic

Why is Lead Bismuth Eutectic Important? • Changing national security stances have led to reexamination of nuclear waste reprocessing • Dangerous actinides can be separated and • Transmuted into safer products, creating a waste form dangerous for only hundreds of years, in addition to the production (up to 1/3 of the original fission energy) of useful energy • Non-moderating coolants or spallation targets for production of fast neutrons is required for transmutation • Russian experience with LBE coolants in their nuclear submarine fleet makes LBE an attractive possible transmutation coolant technology • Corrosion of steel by LBE is an important sticking point in the utilization of LB