AbstractThe compatibility between the lithium-lead eutectic and different CrMn steels has been studied in the temperature range 723 K in capsules in a rotating furnace for times up to 9500 h and in a thermal convention loop for 4200 h with a ΔT of 50 K.The corroded specimens have been examined by metallographic and SEM analysis.It is shown that the corrosion mechanism consists essentially of the dissolution of Mn in Pb-17Li with the formation of a porous ferrite layer in which penetration of Pb and Li has been observed.No grain boundary attack has been observed. The behaviour of the different steels is reported together with semiquantitative analysis of corrosion layers.