Coatings for Molten Salt Reactor Environments
Fluoride salt at 700°C creates one of the most aggressive corrosion environments on earth. DRS RHEA coatings are engineered to survive it.
The Nuclear MSR Coating Challenge
Fluoride Salt Corrosion
Molten fluoride salts aggressively attack conventional nickel and stainless alloys at operating temperature, causing rapid dissolution and structural degradation.
High-Temperature Lifetime Limits
700°C operating temperature accelerates interdiffusion, oxidation, and phase instability in conventional coating systems, limiting service life to unacceptable durations.
Tritium Containment
Tritium permeation through structural materials is a key safety and regulatory concern in MSR designs. Barrier coatings must maintain integrity under sustained neutron flux.
Qualification Gap
No commercially available coating system has been qualified for long-duration MSR exposure. DRS is actively closing this gap through government-funded research programs.
The DRS RHEA Solution
Stable Oxide Barrier
RHEA composition forms a self-healing, adherent oxide scale resistant to fluoride attack. The multi-principal-element chemistry prevents preferential dissolution of any single alloying element.
Tellurium Compatibility
Coating chemistry selected for resistance to tellurium embrittlement, a known MSR degradation mode. Grain boundary engineering prevents telluride phase formation at operating temperature.
Grain Boundary Stability
Microstructure engineered to resist grain boundary attack and interdiffusion at 700°C operating temperature. Validated through 5,000-hour fluoride salt immersion testing.
Validated Performance Metrics
Ready to Start a Nuclear Program?
Our engineering team has direct experience with MSR corrosion environments. Let's discuss your specific application and qualification requirements.