Scientists have recently discovered a new form of corrosion known as the 1D wormhole corrosion.
The 1D wormhole corrosion is a highly localized form of penetrating corrosion that occurs in a nickel-chromium alloy when exposed to molten fluoride salt.
This type of corrosion leads to the development of a percolating network of tunnels along grain boundaries.
These tunnels are filled with molten salt and leave voids along the grain boundaries.
It has important implications for the understanding of material degradation mechanisms in molten salt environments.
Molten salts are a key candidate for coolants in next-generation nuclear power plants.
The use of molten salts as coolants is particularly attractive because they have a high thermal conductivity and a high boiling point.
This makes them ideal for transferring heat away from the reactor core and for generating electricity.