Influence of Hydrogen-Charging on Oxidation of SUSF316L in Simulated BWR Environment

In order to clarify the effect of hydrogen on oxidation, the austenitic stainless steel SUSF316L was charged with hydrogen by the means of cathodic electrolysis and then the hydrogen-charged steel was subjected to the oxidation test in simulated BWR environment. Experimental results revealed that the size of oxide particle formed on the outer layer increased with increasing hydrogen content, resulting in the hydrogen accelerated oxidation (HAO). Additionally, the oxide of the hydrogen-charged steel was mainly NiFe₂O₄, whereas Fe₃O₄ was predominantly formed on the non-charged one. The effect of hydrogen on the oxidation was almost equivalent to that of applied stress.