Untersuchungen über den Einfluß des Gefügezustandes auf das Korrosionsverhalten hochlegierter,rost- und säurebeständiger Stähle in reiner sowie in chloridhaltiger Schwefelsäure

Corrosion Properties of High Alloyed Stainless Steels in Pure as well as in Chloride Containing Sulfuric Acid The corrosion behaviour of the high alloyed stainless steels material no. 1.4439 (X3CrNiMoN17135), 1.4539 (X2NiCrMoCu25205), 1.4503(X3NiCrMoCuTi2723) as well as the reference materials AlSI 316 L and alloy 825 was tested in diluted sulfuric acid (5, 10, 20 and 50%) at 50, 100 and 150°C. The test solutions additionally contained impurities as chlorides and cupric ions. On the material side the effect of various microstructures was checked as well: material as received (commercial production), solution annealed under laboratory conditions, cold deformed and for two selected steels electroslag remelted. Corrosion testing methods are: the immersion test will sheet coupons and the measurement of the weightloss; electrochemical testing, i.e. Current potential-and free corrosion potential-time-curves. No pitting corrosion is observed in the presence of chloride ions. In some cases the general corrosion rate is lowered if chloride ions are present. This beneficial effect of chloride ions, however, is observed only at low chloride concentrations (500 ppm). Annealing under laboratory conditions as well as electroslag remelting does not generally improve the corrosion resistance. A negative effect by cold deformation is only observed for standard stainless steel AlSI 316. Cupric ions added to the 20% sulfuric acid solution improve the corrosion resistance of all steels investigated to that extent, that they can be used in practice up to 100°C provided that the concentration of cupric ions in the solution is sufficiently high (2000 ppm). Electrochemical test results indicate that the positive effect of cupric ions is due to the shift of the free corrosion potential into the potential range of stable passivity. Copper alloyed stainless steels show the highest corrosion resistance.