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

A method for forming and bonding a corrosion resistant perovskite layer on a surface of a steel component, for example, a stainless steel crucible is disclosed. The method comprises preparing an inhibitor mixture comprising about 0.5% to about 5% by weight of a rare-earth oxide and about 0.1% to about 1% by weight of an oxidizer; preparing a molten chloride salt mixture comprising a predetermined concentration of one of a binary eutectic mixture and a ternary eutectic mixture, mixing the inhibitor mixture to the molten chloride salt mixture to produce an inhibitor salt mixture; applying the inhibitor salt mixture to the surface of the steel component to be bonded with the perovskite layer; and heat treating the steel component with said applied inhibitor salt mixture to a predetermined temperature to form and bond the perovskite layer on said surface of said steel component.