Molten salt inhibitor and method for corrosion protection of a steel component

A molten salt inhibitor mixture for application on a steel component core, wherein said molten salt inhibitor mixture comprises:

• an inhibitor mixture comprising:
• about 0.5% to about 5% by weight of a rare-earth oxide, based on weight of said inhibitor mixture;
• and
• about 0.1% to about 1% by weight of an oxidizer, based on said weight of said inhibitor mixture;
• a molten chloride salt mixture comprising a ternary eutectic mixture comprising lithium chloride in about 15% to about 35% by weight of said ternary eutectic mixture, potassium chloride in about 40% to about 60% by weight of said ternary eutectic mixture, and sodium chloride in about 5% to about 10% by weight of said ternary eutectic mixture;
• wherein melting point of said molten chloride salt mixture is about 300° C. to and about 400° C.;
• wherein said steel component core comprises one of a 316 grade stainless steel alloy, a 304 grade stainless steel alloy, a 309 grade stainless steel alloy, a 321 grade stainless steel alloy, and a 347H grade stainless steel;
• wherein said molten salt inhibitor mixture forms in-situ, a substantially continuous layer of XFeO3 corrosion resistant perovskite on said steel component core, in a melt at a temperature between 400° C. to about 900° C., wherein X in said XFeO3 is one element selected from lanthanum, cerium, gadolinium and dysprosium.