Tribocorrosion behaviour of low temperature plasma carburised 316L stainless steel in 0.5 M NaCl solution

Experiments have been carried out to study the tribocorrosion behaviour of low temperature plasma carburised 316L stainless steel under unidirectional sliding in 0.5 M NaCl solution, using a pin-on-disk tribometer integrated with a potentiostat for electrochemical control. It is found that the carburised layer exhibits much better resistance to material removal than the untreated specimen, particularly at anodic potentials. No corrosion pits are observed inside the wear track on the carburised specimen at anodic potentials as high as 750 mV (SCE). The results are discussed in terms of the relative contribution of wear and corrosion to overall material removal by tribocorrosion.     

Electrochemical corrosion parameters of as-cast Al-Fe alloys in a NaCl solution

The aim of this study is to evaluate the general electrochemical corrosion resistance of Al-Fe alloys in the range of hypoeutectic compositions, Al-0.5 wt.% Fe and Al-1.5 wt.% Fe alloy. EIS plots, potentiodynamic polarization curves and an equivalent circuit analysis were used to evaluate the electrochemical parameters in a 0.5 M NaCl solution at 25 °C. It is shown that for an Al-0.5 wt.% Fe alloy, coarse cells tend to improve the corrosion resistance mainly due to the reduction in cellular boundaries and for an Al-1.5 wt.% Fe alloy, an opposite trend has been detected.     

Study of the electrochemical behaviour of nanocrystalline zinc by statistical methods

Pulse electrodeposition was used to synthesize nanocrystalline (NC) zinc coatings from citric acid bath. The electrochemical behaviour of the NC zinc coatings was investigated by using potentiostatic and potentiodynamic polarization methods in 0.5 mol/L NaCl (pH = 12) solution and compared with that of cast zinc. Pitting corrosion behaviour was characterized by pitting potential, induction time and stable pit growth rate which were analyzed according to statistical method. The results showed that nanocrystallization increased the sensitivity of E_pit refer to potential sweep velocity, changed the type of the pit generation from B1 (parallel) to B2 (series), accelerated the pitting initiation process and inhibited the stable pit growth process of NC zinc.     

Electrochemical corrosion behaviour of microcrystalline aluminium in acidic solutions

The electrochemical corrosion behaviour of microcrystalline pure aluminium coating, fabricated by a magnetron sputtering technique, has been investigated in both 0.5 mol/l NaCl and 0.5 mol/l Na₂SO₄ acidic (pH = 2) aqueous solutions. The corrosion resistance of the microcrystalline Al coating has deteriorated more compared with that of the cast pure Al in Na₂SO₄ acidic solution. However, its oxide film has a higher pitting resistance in the NaCl acidic solution. Chloride ions play a big role in the formation of the oxide film on the microcrystalline Al coating. The higher pitting resistance was attributed to the more acidic isoelectric point which the oxide film achieved.     

Pitting corrosion behaviour of austenitic stainless steels with Cu and Sn additions

The influence of Cu and Sn on the pitting corrosion resistance of AISI 304 and 316 stainless steels in chloride-containing media has been investigated. The corrosion behaviour was evaluated by cyclic polarization, potentiostatic CPT measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in 3.5 wt% NaCl. The corrosion resistance was also studied in FeCl₃ under Standard ASTM G-48. According to the results, Cu addition favours pit nucleation but inhibits its growth, whereas Sn exerts the opposite effect, favouring pit growth and inhibiting its nucleation. Studies by SEM, X-ray mapping and EDS analysis showed Cu-, Cl- and O-rich corrosion products that reduce the extent of corrosion damage.     

Influence of fluoride ion on the electrochemical behaviour of β-Ti alloy for dental implant application

The corrosion behaviour of Ti-15Mo alloy in 0.15 M NaCl containing 0.01, 0.03, 0.06 and 0.5 M NaF is evaluated and its protective ability is compared with that of CP-Ti and Ti-6Al-4V alloy, to ascertain their suitability for dental implant application. The steady state current density of CP-Ti and, Ti-15Mo and Ti-6Al-4V alloys in 0.15 M NaCl containing 0.03 M NaF at 200 mV vs. SCE is found to be 1, 2 and 6 μA/cm², respectively, which indicate that all of them could offer a better corrosion resistance in the potential range that could exists in the oral environment.     

Investigations on the Corrosion Behaviour and Structural Characteristics of Low Temperature Nitrided and Carburised Austenitic Stainless Steel

The wear resistance of austenitic stainless steels can be improved by thermo-chemical surface treatment with nitrogen and carbon. However, it is possible that the corrosion resistance will be impaired by the precipitation of chromiumnitrid or -carbide. The present contribution deals with investigations of the corrosion behaviour and structural characteristics of a low temperature nitrided and carburised austenitic stainless steel.The material investigated was AISI 316L (X2CrNiMol7-12-2) austenitic stainless steel. A commercial plasma-nitriding unit (pulsed dc) was used for the nitriding and carburising process. Additional samples were treated by the gasoxinitriding process for a comparison between plasma- and gasoxinitriding. The nitrided and carburised layer of austenitic stainless steel consists of the nitrogen or carbon S-phase (expanded austenite), respectively. X-ray diffraction investigations show the typical shift of the peaks to lower angles, indicating expansion of the fcc lattice. Also the X-ray diffraction technique was employed to study the residual stresses in the nitrogen and carbon S-phase. The corrosion behaviour of surface engineered samples was investigated with electrochemical methods. Anodic potentiodynamic polarisation curves were recorded for testing the resistance against general corrosion (in H2SO4) and pitting corrosion (in NaCl).     

Semiconducting and passive film properties of nitrogen-containing type 316LN stainless steels

The semiconducting property of passive films of nitrogen-containing type 316LN stainless steels in different electrolytic media (0.5 M NaCl, borate buffer and borate buffer + 0.5 M NaCl) was investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The nitrogen effect on the chemical composition of the passive films was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, (XPS). Based on capacitance results, the semiconducting parameters obtained from the Mott-Schottky plots indicated a decrease in the donor and acceptor density (N_D and N_A) with increase in nitrogen content, and variation in the flat band potential (E_FB), depending on the electrolytic media. Thus indicating that the oxide layers of the passive film are modified by nitrogen addition. The presence of nitrogen and in the passive film was confirmed by the XPS analysis of the passive film. Cyclic polarization for pitting and repassivation corrosion studies indicated a decrease in hysteresis loop with increase in nitrogen content in 0.5 M NaCl solution. In the highest nitrogen-containing alloy (0.556 wt.% N), the hysteresis loop was small and negligible indicating that the pit initiation is minimum in this alloy. Based on the results obtained, an attempt was made to correlate the semiconducting nature of the passive films with pitting corrosion resistance.     

Electrochemical corrosion behaviour of nanotubular Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy in Ringer’s solution

Nanotubular oxide layer formation was achieved on biomedical grade Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy using anodization technique in 1 M H₃PO₄ + 0.5 wt.% NaF. The as-formed and heat treated nanotubes were characterized using SEM, XRD and TEM. Corrosion behaviour of the nanotubular alloy was investigated employing potentiodynamic and potentiostatic polarization. The alloy after nanotubular oxide layer formation exhibited significantly higher corrosion current density than the bare alloy. The lower corrosion resistance of the nanotubular alloy was suggested to be associated with the distinctly separated barrier oxide/concave shaped tube bottom interface. A heat treatment at 150 °C appreciably enhanced the corrosion resistance property.     

Behaviour of the alloy AA2017 in aqueous solutions of NaCl. Part I: Corrosion mechanisms

This paper reports a study carried out on the morphological characteristics the Al-Cu alloy AA2017-T3; its behaviour against corrosion in aqueous solutions of NaCl 0.59 M has been evaluated by immersion during 0-48 h. The techniques employed for this study are SEM and EDS. The results obtained have been verified by electrochemical assays based on monitoring the corrosion potential of the system in OCP, LP and EIS. The behaviour of the intermetallics present in the matrix of the alloy suggests that the design of an effective system of protection should involve the use of cathodic inhibitors.     

Corrosion behavior of nickel alloyed and austempered ductile irons in 3.5% sodium chloride

In this study, the nickel alloying and austempering effects on corrosion behavior of ductile irons were investigated. The microstructure of austempered ductile iron (ADI) was analyzed by XRD, and the polarization corrosion tests were conducted using 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. The results showed Ni-alloyed as-cast has less nodule counts than the unalloyed one; therefore, the former is more corrosion resistant than the latter. For the ADI, the nickel addition increases the retained austenite content, resulting in having better corrosion inhibition than the unalloyed ADI. Comparatively, the order of corrosion resistance in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution is as follows: 4%Ni-ADI > ADI > 4%Ni-DI > DI.     

A cationic gemini-surfactant as effective inhibitor for mild steel in HCl solutions

A cationic gemini-surfactant, namely 1,4-bis (1-chlorobenzyl-benzimidazolyl)-butane (CBB) was synthesized and its inhibition effect on the corrosion of mild steel in 0.5 M HCl solution was investigated by weight loss and electrochemical techniques. The results showed that CBB acts as an excellent corrosion inhibitor in 0.5 M HCl by suppressing simultaneously the cathodic and anodic processes via chemical adsorption on the surface of steel, which followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The inhibition efficiency increased with the increase of CBB concentration and temperature. The adsorption mechanism of the compound was discussed in terms of thermodynamic and kinetic parameters deduced from the experimental data.     

Corrosion properties of active screen plasma nitrided 316 austenitic stainless steel

AISI 316 austenitic stainless steel has been plasma nitrided using the active screen plasma nitriding (ASPN) technique. Corrosion properties of the untreated and AS plasma nitrided 316 steel have been evaluated using various techniques, including qualitative evaluation after etching in 50%HCl + 25%HNO₃ + 25%H₂O, weight loss measurement after immersion in 10% HCl, and anodic polarisation tests in 3.5% NaCl solution. The results showed that the untreated 316 stainless steel suffered severe localised pitting and crevice corrosion under the testing conditions. AS plasma nitriding at low temperature (420 °C) produced a single phase nitrided layer of nitrogen expanded austenite (S-phase), which considerably improved the corrosion properties of the 316 austenitic stainless steel. In contrast, AS plasma nitriding at a high temperature (500 °C) resulted in chromium nitride precipitation so that the bulk of the nitrided case had very poor corrosion resistance. However, a thin deposition layer on top of the nitrided case, which seems to be unique to AS plasma nitriding, could have alleviated the corrosion attack of the higher temperature nitrided 316 steel.     

Corrosion characterization of Mg-8Li alloy in NaCl solution

The corrosion mechanism of Mg-8Li alloy in NaCl solution was investigated by electrochemical testing and SEM observation. The electrochemical results indicated that the corrosion resistance of Mg-8Li alloy in 0.1 M NaCl solution gradually deteriorated with increasing of immersion time expect for 2 h immersion, which was consistent with the SEM observation of corrosion morphology. Mg-8Li alloy exhibited filiform type of attack under significant anodic control of magnesium solution reaction. The cathodic reaction was driven by hydrogen evolution reaction. The presence of filiform corrosion also proved a resistant oxide film naturally formed on the surface of Mg-8Li alloy.     

Corrosion behaviour of Cu-10Sn bronze in aerated NaCl aqueous media - Electrochemical investigation

Investigation of the electrochemical behaviour of Cu-10Sn (wt.%) alloy has been conducted in aerated aqueous chloride solutions and compared to that of pure Cu and Sn. Cathodic and anodic bronze behaviours have been investigated in function of the chloride concentrations (0.1-0.001 M), the rotation speed of the electrode and the potential sweep rate after 1-h immersion time in open-circuit conditions. At the corrosion potential, the corrosion behaviour appears determined by the charge-transfer controlled reduction of oxygen and the mixed charge- and mass-transfer controlled electrodissolution. In 0.1 M NaCl solution, three anodic regions are evidenced corresponding to: (I) a dissolution part from Eoc value, (II) a maximum current region corresponding to peaks formation and (III) a large current plateau. A partial protective effect of the corrosion product layer is observed at high anodic potential. It has been interpreted as the result of a 3D growth mechanism involving the formation of stable tin species in the layer according to a “pore resistance model”. Results on synthetic alloy are compared with those obtained on an archaeological bronze with a similar composition immersed in the same medium. Equivalent interface behaviour is evidenced between the synthetic and the archaeological bronzes.     

Effect of carbon nanotubes on corrosion of Mg-CNT composites

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) may be added to Mg matrix to produce composites of better mechanical properties, but their effect on the corrosion behaviour is not well understood. The corrosion resistance of pure Mg and its composites reinforced with 0.3 and 1.3 wt.% CNTs was studied in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution using immersion testing and electrochemical measurements. It was found that the corrosion rate was increased considerably by the presence of CNTs because of microgalvanic action between the cathodic CNTs and the anodic Mg matrix.     

Corrosion behaviour of duplex stainless steels sintered in nitrogen

Duplex stainless steels obtained through powder metallurgy (PM) technology from austenitic AISI 316L and ferritic AISI 430L powders were mixed on different amounts to obtain biphasic structures with austenite/ferrite ratio of 50/50, 65/35 and 85/15. Prepared mixes of powders have been compacted at 750 MPa and sintered in N₂-H₂ (95% and 5%) at 1250 °C for 1 h. Corrosion behaviour, using electrochemical techniques such as anodic polarization measurement, cyclic anodic polarization scan and electrochemical potentio-kinetic reactivation test and double loop electrochemical potentio-kinetic reactivation double loop test were evaluated. For duplex stainless steels, when austenite/ferrite ratio increases the corrosion potential shifts to more noble potential and passive current density decreases. The beneficial effect of annealing solution heat treatment on corrosion behaviour was established and was compared with corrosion behaviour of vacuum sintered duplex stainless steels. The results were correlated with the microstructural features.     

Phosphate ions used as green inhibitor against copper corrosion in tap water

Three dosages of ions are evaluated as corrosion inhibitors of copper in artificial tap water by measuring the corrosion potential, polarization resistance, electrochemical impedance and reflectance spectra. The water is moderately hard, highly carbonated and chloride-rich. The results show that the surface film is composed by Cu₂O. When the inhibiting agent is added, the film becomes thicker, denser and more compact. This behaviour is attributed to CuO incorporating into the passive layer. The optimal dosage of inhibitor is 10 mg l⁻¹ P when the polarization resistance increases three times. The inhibitor retards the pit initiation, without hindering pit growth.     

Effect of surface nanocrystallization on the corrosion behaviour of AISI 409 stainless steel

The influence of surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) on the corrosion behaviour of AISI 409 grade stainless steel in 0.6 M NaCl was studied. SMAT using 2 mm ∅ 316L stainless steel (SS) balls for 15, 30 and 45 min and 5 mm ∅ balls for 15 min offers a better corrosion protective ability. In contrast, treatment using 5 mm ∅ balls for 30 and 45 min and by using 8 mm ∅ balls for 15, 30 and 45 min, induces microstrain and defect density that results in a decrease in corrosion resistance.     

Corrosion studies of single crystals of iron-gallium alloys in aqueous environments

Iron-gallium (Fe-Ga) alloys have attracted lot of attention for use in sensor and actuator applications due to an excellent combination of large low-field magnetostriction, high mechanical strength, good ductility and low cost. This paper reports the very first measurement of the corrosion behavior of single crystals of Fe-Ga alloys. The corrosion behaviors of single crystals of Fe-15 at.% Ga, Fe-20 at.% Ga and Fe-27.5 at.% Ga alloys were studied in acidic (0.1 M HCl), basic (0.1 M NaOH) and simulated seawater (3.5 wt.% NaCl) environments. Dependence of corrosion rates on the crystal orientation is also examined. The polarization resistance technique was used for measuring the corrosion potentials and corrosion rates. The corrosion rate of single crystals of Fe-Ga alloys in 0.1 M HCl aqueous solution is higher than that in 3.5 wt.% NaCl aqueous solutions. The corrosion rate of single crystals of Fe-Ga alloys is least in 0.1 M NaOH aqueous solutions.