Corrosion of 316L austenitic stainless steel under desalination plant conditions

Abstract

The AISI type 316L stainless steel liner plates in the flash chambers of a multistage flash desalination plant, located on the Arabian Gulf coast, developed severe corrosion within 6 years of operation. The mode and causes of corrosion and the effect of heating (during annealing or welding) and temperature of salt solution on this attack were investigated. Specimens of liner plate were studied in the as received condition and after being heat treated at 900°C in air and air cooled to room temperature. Potentiodynamic polarisation techniques were used to determine corrosion rates. It was found that commercial grade 316L is susceptible to pitting, crevice, and grain boundary corrosion under the operating conditions in the desalination plant. The heat affected zone had larger grains and corroded more severely than other parts of the liner plates. Randomly distributed inclusions containing titanium, chromium, molybdenum, manganese, and sulphur were found in the liner plates. The as received specimens showed the lowest corrosion rate, followed in ascending order by heat treated and heat affected zone specimens.     

Fatigue strength of 316L-type stainless steel in simulated body fluids

The fatigue strength of commercial SUS316L stainless steel was studied in PBS(−) (phosphate buffer solution) with different dissolved oxygen contents and CPBS (a 0.9 mass% NaCl-containing citric phosphate buffer solution) with different pH levels, i.e., 5.0, 6.0, and 7.5. The results obtained are as follows. (1) The fatigue behaviour in PBS(−) was hardly affected by the dissolved oxygen content. (2) The fatigue strength in a high-cycle region was much lower in CPBS of pH 7.5 than in PBS(−) of pH 7.5. (3) The fatigue strength in CPBS decreased with decreasing pH from 7.5 to 5.0.     

Corrosion inhibition of 304 stainless steel by Paecilomyces variotii and Aspergillus niger in aqueous environment

The presence of microorganisms influences corrosion of metallic materials by either an accelerating or an inhibiting effect. While most studies have focused on corrosion influenced by bacteria, especially sulphate-reducing bacteria, fungus (or mould) is another form of microorganisms which can significantly affect corrosion processes. This study investigated the effects of two common fungi, Paecilomyces variotii and Aspergillus niger, on corrosion of 304 stainless steel immersed in aqueous environment for up to 28 days. Biofilm formation was observed by SEM. Instead of accelerating corrosion, electrochemical studies such as potentiodynamic polarisation and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy have shown inhibitive effects of these fungi to corrosion of 304 stainless steel.     

Corrosion of type 316L stainless steel in molten LiCl–KCl salt

Pyrochemical reprocessing in molten chloride salt medium has been considered as one of the best options for the reprocessing of spent metallic fuels. The AISI 316L stainless steel (SS) is envisaged as a candidate material for the fabrication of components for various unit operations like salt preparation vessel, electro‐refiner and cathode processor, on which ceramic coatings with metallic bond coat will be applied by the thermal plasma spraying. The unit operation like electro‐refining is carried out in the molten lithium chloride–potassium chloride (LiCl–KCl) eutectic salt at 773 K in argon atmosphere. The corrosion behaviour of the container vessel in molten chloride salts is therefore important, hence corrosion tests were carried out in a molten salt test assembly under argon gas atmosphere. The present paper discusses the corrosion behaviour of 316L SS in the molten LiCl–KCl eutectic salt at 873 K. The 316L SS samples were immersed in the molten LiCl–KCl eutectic for 25, 100 and 250 h, while 316L SS with yttria stabilized zirconia coating was exposed for 1000 h. The exposed samples were examined by optical and scanning electron microscope for corrosion attack. The X‐ray mappings of the cross‐section of the degraded layer onto the 316L SS indicated that the mechanism of corrosion corresponds to the selective diffusion of Cr to the surface with the formation of voids below, and the formation of chromium compounds at the surface. The results of the present study indicated that the yttria stabilized zirconia coating onto the 316L SS exhibits a better corrosion resistance in molten chloride salt than with uncoated 316L SS.     

Corrosion behavior and electrical conductivity of niobium implanted 316L stainless steel used as bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

The corrosion behavior and interfacial contact resistance (ICR) of niobium implanted SS316L used as the bipolar plate in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) are investigated. The ICR values of the bare and niobium implanted SS316L are measured to evaluate the electrical conductivity. The effects of ion implantation on the corrosion behavior are investigated by potentiodynamic and potentiostatic tests in the simulated PEMFC anode and cathode environments. The solutions after the potentiostatic test are analyzed by inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The surface topography of the samples before and after the potentiostatic test is monitored by SEM in order to investigate the mechanism and degree of corrosion. The XPS results indicate that the composition on the surface is altered by ion implantation. The electrochemical results reveal that the passivation current density of the Nb implanted SS316L decreases and has higher chemical stability in the simulated PEMFC environment. However, the ion implantation fluence affects the current density. The ICP results are in agreement with those of the electrochemical test disclosing that the bare SS316L has the highest dissolution rate in both the cathode and anode environments and niobium implantation reduces the dissolution rate significantly. SEM shows that the bare SS316L undergoes serious corrosion whereas after Nb ion implantation, corrosion is greatly retarded. The XPS depth profiles indicate that a passive film with a new composition consisting mainly of niobium oxide is formed after the potentiostatic test. Our results suggest that niobium implantation with proper ion fluences can significantly improve the corrosion resistance and the electric conductivity of SS316L in the simulated PEMFC environments.     

Low-cycle fatigue behavior of 316L-type stainless steel in chloride solutions

Low-cycle corrosion fatigue of stainless steel 316L was investigated at room temperature in a reversible strain-controlled bending mode in air, 3.5% NaCl with pH values of 0, 3 and 6 and in doubly deionized water (pH 3). The changes of cyclic ductility parameters with changing pH reflect the changes in mechanochemical interactions, which can result either in additional plasticization (chemomechanical effect) or in the embrittlement (microcracking) during cycling loading.     

Susceptibility of 316L stainless steel to crevice corrosion in submersible solenoid valve

The susceptibility of 316L stainless steel to crevice corrosion was investigated by using immersion test and electrochemical test. Three kinds of crevices including 316L‐to‐polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) crevice, 316L‐to‐fluoroelastomeric (FKM) crevice and 316L‐to‐316L crevice were tested in artificial seawater at 50°C. The results indicate that 316L stainless steel specimen is the most susceptible to crevice corrosion when it is coupled to 316L stainless steel crevice former, while it is the least susceptible when it is coupled to FKM crevice former. It suggests that during submersible solenoid valve design, the crevice of metal‐to‐metal should be moderately large so that crevice corrosion can not initiate and propagate, and FKM O‐ring rather than PTFE O‐ring should be selected as obturating ring. The corroded surface morphology was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Three regions including passive region, active region and variable region can be observed on crevice corrosion sites.     

Corrosion behaviour of HVOF sprayed SUS316L stainless steel in seawater

SUS316L stainless steel was coated onto the SUS316L plate by the high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) spray technique. Its corrosion behaviour in seawater was investigated by the electrochemical method and the microscopy. The coating had corrosion resistance inferior to the bulk plate. The corrosion of the HVOF sprayed SUS316L coating was related to both its porosity and its oxygen content. Depending on them, the corrosion took place at the small pore and the boundary between the spray particles on the surface.     

Corrosion behavior of shape memory stainless steel in acid media

The corrosion behavior of three Fe-Mn-Si-Cr-Ni-(Co) shape memory stainless steels (SMSS) in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ solution was studied through electrochemical and immersion tests. The test results were compared with that of a type 304 (SS 304) austenitic stainless steel. The three SMSSs exhibited a passive behavior in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ solution; however, their anodic behavior in the active dissolution region was markedly different. The passive current densities of the SMSSs were similar to that of SS 304, although the critical anodic current required for passivation was higher. The corrosion rate of the SMSSs was much higher than that of SS 304. It was observed that the amount of Cr and Mn plays an important role in the corrosion behavior of SMSSs. The best corrosion behavior in acid media was shown by the SMSS that contained the highest amount of Cr and the lowest amount of Mn.     

Corrosion characteristics of polyaniline-coated 316L stainless steel in sulphuric acid containing fluoride

The corrosion resistance of conducting polyaniline (PANi) coatings deposited on 316L stainless steel (316L SS) at various cycle numbers of cyclic voltammetry (2-, 3- and 4-cycles) by electro-polymerization in sulphuric acid solution containing fluoride was investigated by electrochemical techniques. The corrosion resistance of the 316L SS substrate was considerably improved by the PANi coating. The increase of the cycle number of cyclic voltammetry increased the thickness and enhanced the performance of the PANi coating due to low porosity.     

Effect of chloride ions on 316L stainless steel in cyclic cooling water

The effect of Cl^- on the 316L stainless steel in simulated cooling water has been studied using polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Mott-Schottky plot and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. Cl^- concentrations vary from 200 to 900 mg/L. Results reveal that the corrosion resistance increases with the decrease of Cl^- concentration in simulated cooling water. The increase of Cl^-concentration leads to the shift of the corrosion potential towards the positive direction. Mott-Schottky curves show that in the passive film, Cr₂O₃ and FeO at the inner layer exhibit P-type but Fe₂O₃ and CrO₃ (CrO₄^2-) N-type semiconductive properties. The SEM/EDX data demonstrate that elements such as Fe, O, C, Si and Cl as well as the presence of calcium and aluminum are presented on the surface of the metal.     

The effect of cysteine on the corrosion of 304L stainless steel in sulphuric acid

The effect of cysteine on the corrosion of 304L stainless steel in 1 mol l⁻¹ H₂SO₄ was studied using open-circuit potential measurements, anodic polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All the electrochemical measurements obtained in the presence of low cysteine concentration (10⁻⁶-10⁻⁵ mol l⁻¹) presented the same behaviour as those obtained in the absence of cysteine, a passivated steel surface. However, for higher cysteine concentrations (10⁻⁴-10⁻² mol l⁻¹), a different behaviour was observed: the corrosion potential stabilized at a more negative value; an active region was observed in the anodic polarization curves and the electrochemical impedance diagrams showed an inductive loop at lower frequencies and a much lower polarization resistance. These results show that the presence of cysteine at high concentration turns the surface of 304L stainless steel electrochemically active, probably dissolving the passivation layer and promoting the stainless steel anodic dissolution. SEM experiments performed after immersion experiments at corrosion potential were in good agreement with the electrochemical results.     

高温酸性溶液中316L不锈钢/Ni-Cu-P镀层的耐蚀性能

为了改善316L 不锈钢在高温酸性溶液中的耐蚀性,采用化学镀技术在316L 不锈钢表面沉积高铜高磷Ni?Cu?P 镀层。采用扫描电镜(SEM)、能谱仪(EDS)和 X 射线衍射仪(XRD)对其结构进行分析,利用极化曲线、阻抗谱(EIS)及浸泡腐蚀试验对其在高温酸性溶液中的耐蚀性进行研究。结果表明,Ni?Cu?P 镀层由铜含量分别为19.98%和39.17%(质量分数)两种类型的胞状组织组成;在高温酸性溶液中,这种新型Ni?Cu?P镀层可显著改善316L不锈钢的耐蚀性;镀态镀层的耐蚀性优于热处理态的;镀态镀层和经673 K热处理镀层的腐蚀机制是选择性腐蚀,而经773和873 K热处理镀层的腐蚀机制为点腐蚀。     

A comparison of carbon coated and uncoated 316L stainless steel for using as bipolar plates in PEMFCs

Two kinds of carbon coated and uncoated 316L stainless steel are studied to use as bipolar plates in fuel cells. The results show that the conductive amorphous carbon film has a low corrosion rate in simulated PEMFC environment. Rather long term potentiostatic tests and SEM investigations indicate that carbon thin films can be a good candidate to use as bipolar plate.     

Electrochemical and XPS studies of AISI 316L stainless steel after electropolishing in a magnetic field

The thermodynamic stability and corrosion resistance of surface oxide layer are the most important features of stainless steels. Electrochemical polishing (EP) is the most extensively used surface technology for austenitic stainless steels. We have modified this surface technology by introducing a magnetic field to the system. With this new process called the magnetoelectropolishing (MEP) we can improve metal surface properties by making the stainless steel more resistant to halides encountered in a variety of environments.In this paper, the corrosion research results are presented on the behaviour of the most commonly used material - medical grade AISI 316L stainless steel. The corrosion investigations have been concerned on the open circuit potential (OCP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and polarisation curves studies in the Ringer’s body fluid under room temperature (25 °C). The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was performed on 316L samples after three treatments: MP - abrasive polishing (800 grit size), EP - conventional electrolytic polishing, and MEP - magnetoelectropolishing. The comparison of the corrosion behaviour of the stainless steel’s surface after these processes was also carried out. The purpose of XPS studies was to reveal the surface film composition and the reason of this modified corrosion behaviour. It has been found that the proposed MEP process modifies considerably the composition of the surface film and improves the corrosion resistance of the same 316L SS studied.     

An experimental study of crevice corrosion behaviour of 316L stainless steel in artificial seawater

The effects of applied torque on corrosion behaviour of 316L stainless steel with crevices were investigated using the cyclic potentiodynamic polarization method. Three kinds of crevices (316L-to-polytetrafluoroethylene, 316L-to-fluoroelastomeric and 316L-to-316L) were tested in artificial seawater at 50 °C. Corroded surface morphology was also investigated using scanning electron microscopy. Results indicate similar trends in crevice corrosion susceptibility with increasing applied torque. Among the three crevices, the 316L stainless steel specimen, coupled to the 316L stainless steel crevice former, is the most susceptible to crevice corrosion.     

Corrosion behaviour of low temperature plasma carburised 316L stainless steel in chloride containing solutions

The electrochemical corrosion behaviour of the carburised (expanded austenite) layer on 316L austenitic stainless steel produced by low temperature plasma carburising has been studied in 0.5 M NaCl and 0.5 M HCl + 0.5 M NaCl solutions. The present work focuses on the variation of the corrosion behaviour of the carburised layer with depth from the surface and the effect of carbon concentration on electrochemical behaviour. The results show that the carburised layer has excellent resistance to localised corrosion. There exists a critical carbon concentration, above which the expanded austenite possesses excellent resistance to both metastable pit formation and pit growth.     

Corrosion resistance properties of glow-discharge nitrided AISI 316L austenitic stainless steel in NaCl solutions

Glow-discharge nitriding treatments can modify the hardness and the corrosion resistance properties of austenitic stainless steels. The modified layer characteristics mainly depend on the treatment temperature. In the present paper the results relative to glow-discharge nitriding treatments carried out on AISI 316L austenitic stainless steel samples at temperatures ranging from 673 to 773 K are reported. Treated and untreated samples were characterized by means of microstructural and morphological analysis, surface microhardness measurements and corrosion tests in NaCl solutions. The electrochemical characterization was carried out by means of linear polarizations, free corrosion potential-time curves and prolonged crevice corrosion tests. Nitriding treatments performed at higher temperatures (>723 K) can largely increase the surface hardness of AISI 316L stainless steel samples, but decrease the corrosion resistance properties due to the CrN precipitation. Nevertheless nitriding treatments performed at lower temperatures (?723 K) avoid a large CrN precipitation and allow to produce modified layers essentially composed by a nitrogen super-saturated austenitic metastable phase (S-phase) that shows high hardness and very high pitting and crevice corrosion resistance; at the same polarization potentials the anodic current density values are reduced up to three orders of magnitude in comparison with untreated samples and no crevice corrosion event can be detected after 60 days of immersion in 10% NaCl solution at 328 K.     

Passivity of 316L stainless steel in borate buffer solution studied by Mott-Schottky analysis, atomic absorption spectrometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

The passivity of 316L stainless steel in borate buffer solution has been investigated by Mott-Schottky, atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results indicate that the polarization curve in the passive region possesses several turning potentials (0 V_SCE, 0.2 V_SCE, 0.4 V_SCE, 0.6 V_SCE and 0.85 V_SCE). The passive films formed at turning potentials perform different electrochemical and semiconductor properties. Further, the compositions of the passive films formed at turning potentials are investigated. The results reasonably explain why these potentials appear in the passive region and why specimens perform different properties at turning potentials.