The use of liquid metals introduces solid-liquid metal interactions which are not primarily electrochemical, as found in systems involving aqueous raedia. The corrosion of solid metals by these coolants occurs as the system attempts to attain chemical equilibrium. The mechanisms by which this can occur are (a) dissolutioning, which results from the solubility relationships between the solid and liquid metals, and (b) impurity reactions, resulting from the presence of interstitial impurities, such as oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon, in the solid and liquid metals. The manner in which dissolutioning proceeds gives rise to many types of attack ranging from simple solution to mass transfer of one or more constituents of an alloy. Some variables which influence the rate and type of dissolutive corrosion are: temperature, flow velocity, surface area to volume ratio, surface condition of solid metal, temperature gradient, and number of materials in contact with the same liquid metal. The refractory metals tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, and niobium, as well as other high-melting bodycentered cubic metals, have excellent resistance to dissolutive attack by the alkali liquid metals at high temperatures. However, there are numerous occasions when it is desirable to utilize the unique capabilities of several structural materials in the same …

This is the monthly report for the Hanford Laboratories Operation, August 1963. Metallurgy, reactor fuels, chemistry, dosimetry, separation processes, reactor technology, financial activities, visits, biology operation, physics and instrumentation research, and employee relations are discussed.