Depassivation-repassivation behavior of type-312L stainless steel in NaCl solution investigated by the micro-indentation

Repassivation behavior of type-312L stainless steel containing 6% of molybdenum was examined in NaCl solution using in situ micro-indentation technique, together with type-304 and 316L stainless steels. High stability of the passive film formed on the type-312L stainless steel was also examined by depth profiling analysis of passive films using glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES). In 0.9 mol dm⁻³ NaCl solution at 296 K the type-304 and 316L stainless steels are passive only up to 0.3 V (SHE), above which pitting corrosion occurs. In contrast, no pitting corrosion occurs on type-312L stainless steel. Despite the significant difference of the pitting corrosion resistance, the repassivation kinetics of the three stainless steels, examined by micro-indentation at 0.3 V (SHE), is similar. The presence of molybdenum in the stainless steel does not influence the repassivation kinetics. The charge required to repassivate the ruptured type-312L stainless steel surface increases approximately linearly with the potential, even though the passivity-maintaining current increased markedly at potentials close to the transpassive region. Repassivation occurs without accompanying significant dissolution of steel, regardless of the stability of passive state. Depth profiling analyses of the passive films on the type-312L stainless steels formed at several potentials revealed that molybdenum species enrich in the outer layer of the passive film, below which chromium-enriched layer is present. The permeation of chloride ions may be impeded by the outer layer containing molybdate, enhancing the resistance against the localized corrosion of the type-312L stainless steel.     

Determination of the critical flow velocities for erosion–corrosion of passive materials under impingement by NaCl solution containing sand

Transition from passivation to erosion–corrosion at the critical flow velocity (CFV) is of interest for corrosion engineers. This transition phenomenon on 304 stainless steel and a Fe-based amorphous coating was investigated under impingement by sand-containing NaCl solution. Mass loss measurement, open-circuit potential monitoring and potentiostatic test were employed to determine the CFV. The CFV values defined via the three approaches are consistent, about 10 m/s for 304 stainless steel and 15 m/s for the coating. The CFV decreases with increasing the sand concentration. It may serve as an effective tool for evaluating the erosion–corrosion resistance of passive materials.     

On the corrosion mechanism of AISI 204Cu stainless steel in chlorinated alkaline media

Electrochemical techniques (CV, SECM, CPT) and surface analysis techniques (EDX, SEM) have been employed to assess the corrosion behaviour of the AISI 204Cu stainless steel. The behaviour of this steel has been compared with that of AISI 304 and AISI 434 stainless steels in chlorinated alkaline media. All samples performed well at room temperature under potentiodynamic polarisation up to a chloride to hydroxyl ratio of 10. At this ratio the AISI 204Cu and the AISI 434 steels presented pitting potential at +0.47 V vs. SCE and +0.31 V vs. SCE, respectively. Moreover, the critical pitting temperature was higher for the AISI 204Cu steel than for the AISI 434 steel, respectively 58 °C and 28 °C.In terms of corrosion performance of the AISI 204Cu stainless steel can be classified better than the AISI 434 steel and worse than the AISI 304 steel.Local electrochemical and chemical examinations allowed evidencing the local activity of some pits over long period, and to conclude that the improved corrosion performance of the low nickel alloy AISI 204Cu stainless steel should be ascribed to copper cementation at active corrosion sites.     

Pitting corrosion of intermetallic compound Ni3(Si,Ti) in sodium chloride solutions

The pitting corrosion of intermetallic compound Ni₃(Si,Ti) was investigated as functions of test temperature and chloride concentration in sodium chloride solutions by using a potential step method. In addition, the pitting corrosion of solution-annealed austenitic stainless steel type 304 and pure nickel was also studied under the same experimental condition for comparison. The pitting potential obtained for the intermetallic compound decreased with increasing chloride concentration and test temperature. A critical chloride concentration below which no pitting corrosion took place was found to exist and to decrease with increasing test temperature. The specific pitting potential at the critical chloride concentration also decreased with increasing test temperature. In addition, the pitting potential at various constant chloride concentrations above the critical chloride concentration decreased with increasing test temperature. The pitting potential of Ni₃(Si,Ti) was higher than pure nickel, but lower than that of type 304.     

Pitting corrosion behaviour of PM austenitic stainless steels sintered in nitrogen-hydrogen atmosphere

PM 304L and 316L stainless steel have been compacted at 400, 600 and 800 MPa and sintered in vacuum and in nitrogen-hydrogen atmosphere. Postsintered heat treatments (annealing solution and ageing at 375, 675 and 875 °C) have been applied. Pitting corrosion resistance has been studied using anodic polarization measurements and the ferric chloride test. Anodic polarization curves reveal that densities and atmospheres are relevant on anodic behaviour. Pitting resistance is higher for PM 316L and for higher densities and vacuum as sintered atmosphere. Ageing heat treatments at medium and high temperatures are detrimental to passivity although susceptibility to pitting corrosion barely changes. But heat treatments at 375 °C even show certain improvement in pitting corrosion resistance. The results were correlated to the presence of precipitates and mainly to the lamellar constituent which appears in some samples sintered in nitrogen-hydrogen atmosphere. The role of nitrogen on the samples sintered under nitrogen-hydrogen atmosphere and its relation to the microstructural features was described.     

Potential control under thin aqueous layers using a Kelvin Probe

Kelvin Probes can be modified to control as well as monitor potential. The design and operation of two different Kelvin Probe Potentiostats (KPPs) are described in this paper. One approach uses a permanent magnet and double coil to oscillate the needle at a fixed frequency, an AC backing potential, and software analysis and control schemes. This technique can also control the distance between the tip and sample, thereby tracking the topography of the sample. Both KPPs were used to make measurements on Type 304L stainless steel under thin layers of electrolyte. Cathodic polarization curves exhibited a limiting current density associated with oxygen reduction. The limiting current density varied with solution layer thickness over a finite range of thickness. Anodic polarization curves on 304L in a thin layer of chloride solution resulted in pitting corrosion. The breakdown potential did not vary with solution layer thickness. However, the thin layer was observed to increase in volume remarkably during pit growth owing to the absorption of water from the high humidity environment into the layer with ionic strength increased by the pit dissolution. The open circuit potential (OCP) and solution layer thickness were monitored during drying out of a thin electrolyte layer. Pitting corrosion initiated, as indicated by a sharp drop in the OCP, as the solution thinned and increased in concentration.     

Environmental factors affecting pitting corrosion of type 304 stainless steel investigated by electrochemical noise measurements under potentiostatic control

Electrochemical noise measurements on anodically polarised type 304 stainless steel surfaces in contact with buffer solutions of neutral pH were performed to study the effect of chloride ions in the nucleation of pitting corrosion. Passive layer stability and susceptibility to pitting corrosion after pickling and passivation at different environmental conditions were also investigated by means of electrochemical current noise measurements under cathodic and anodic polarisation. According to the obtained experimental results pits nucleate independently on the presence of chloride ions. It has been also shown that protectiveness of stainless steel surfaces after pickling strongly depends on the relative humidity of the environment in which the surface is subsequently passivated.     

Artificial neural networks for pitting potential prediction of resistance spot welding joints of AISI 304 austenitic stainless steel

The aim of this work is to predict the influence of welding process on pitting corrosion behaviour (PCB) of resistance spot welding (RSW) joints of AISI 304 austenitic stainless steel (ASS). PCB is estimated from the pitting potential (E_pitt), which is predicted from three RSW parameters. The prediction is carried out by artificial neural networks (ANNs) because the phenomena that relate the heat generated in RSW process to the PCB are highly complex and nonlinear. The study of PCB of RSW joints of ASS by ANNs is a novel research field in which this work makes a significant contribution.     

Corrosion behaviour of Lotus-type porous high nitrogen nickel-free stainless steels

Corrosion behaviour of three austenitic Lotus-type porous high nitrogen Ni-free stainless steels exposed to an acidic chloride solution has been investigated by electrochemical tests and weight loss measurements. Polarization resistance indicates that the corrosion rate of Lotus-type porous high nitrogen Ni-free stainless steels is an order of magnitude lower than that of Lotus-type porous 316L stainless steel in acidic environment. The localised corrosion resistance of the investigated high nitrogen Ni-free stainless steels, measured as pitting potential, E_b, also resulted to be higher than that of type 316L stainless steel. The influences of porous structure, surface finish and nitrogen addition on the corrosion behaviour were discussed.     

Influence of ultrasound on pitting corrosion and crevice corrosion of SUS304 stainless steel in chloride sodium aqueous solution

The change of polarization curves and surface morphologies of SUS304 stainless steel was investigated in 3.5 mass% NaCl solution with or without the application of ultrasound (US). As the result, both the pitting corrosion and the crevice corrosion were largely suppressed by the application of US. The reason is attributed to the decrease in the concentration of hydrogen and chloride ions in pits or in the crevice by removing the corrosion product and stirring the liquid there.     

Pitting corrosion mechanism of Type 304 stainless steel under a droplet of chloride solutions

Pitting corrosion of Type 304 stainless steel under drops of MgCl₂ solution has been investigated to clarify the rusting mechanism in marine atmospheres. A pitting corrosion test was performed under the droplets with various combinations of the diameter and thickness (height) by exposure to a constant relative humidity. Probability of occurrence of pitting corrosion decreased with decreasing the diameter and thickness. Pitting corrosion progressed only when the [Cl⁻] exceeded 6 M (RH < 65%). In almost cases, there was a small hole (∼10 μm diameter) in the center of a single pit, which may be the trace of an inclusion particle like MnS dissolved out. The pitting corrosion mechanism of Type 304 under droplets containing chloride ions has been proposed.     

Nucleation of corrosion pits in Ringer’s solution containing bovine serum

The effects of the presence of bovine serum on the nucleation of corrosion pits on 316L stainless steel and commercially pure titanium in Ringer’s physiological solution at 37 °C are presented. The experiments involved measurement of current transients generated on microelectrodes under potentiostatic control below the pitting potential. Results show that the presence of the organic components of the serum stimulates the nucleation of pits on 316L stainless steel. A similar but smaller effect is shown for commercially pure titanium.     

Effect of Geobacter sulfurreducens on the microbial corrosion of mild steel, ferritic and austenitic stainless steels

The influence of Geobacter sulfurreducens was tested on the anaerobic corrosion of four different steels: mild steel 1145, ferritic steel 403 and austenitic steels 304L and 316L. Within a few hours, the presence of cells induced a free potential (E_oc) ennoblement around +0.3 V on 1145 mild steel, 403 ferritic steel and 304L austenitic steels and slightly less on 316L. The kinetics of E_oc ennoblement depended on the amount of bacteria in the inoculum, but the final potential value depended essentially on the nature of the material. This effect was due to the capacity of G. sulfurreducens to create a direct cathodic reaction on steel surfaces, extracting the electrons directly from material. The presence of bacterial cells modified the corrosion features of mild steel and ferritic steel, so that corrosion attacks were gathered in determined zones of the surface. Local corrosion was significantly enhanced on ferritic steel. Potential ennoblement was not sufficient to induce corrosion on austenitic steels. In contrast G. sulfurreducens delayed the occurrence of pitting on 304L steel because of its capability to oxidize acetate at high potential values. The electrochemical behaviour of 304L steel was not affected by the concentration of soluble electron donor (acetate, 1–10 mM) or the amount of planktonic cells; it was directly linked to the biofilm coverage. After polarization pitting curves had been recorded, microscopic observations showed that pits propagated only in the surface zones where cell settlement was the densest. The study evidenced that Geobacter sulfurreducens can control the electrochemical behaviour of steels in complex ways that can lead to severe corrosion. As Geobacteraceae are ubiquitous species in sediments and soils they should now be considered as possible crucial actors in the microbial corrosion of buried equipment.     

Electrochemical behaviour enhancement of stainless steels by a SiO2 PACVD coating

Amorphous silica coatings have been deposited by plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition (PACVD) process on M2 steel and 304 stainless steel substrates. The chemical inertia of the coating has been established by resonant quartz crystal microbalance (RQCM), and no porosity has been observed at the AFM scale. The barrier effect has been evaluated on M2 steel by applying the concept of dipolar relaxation. The protection is very efficient, and no deleterious galvanic coupling with the uncoated metallic surface can occur.

A coated stainless steel was also investigated in NaCl solution in order to understand how the passive properties are influenced by such a barrier coating. When deposited on stainless steel, coated part keeps the beneficial passive behaviour inherent to the substrate. They evidence almost no corrosion. The silica based layer behaves as a quasi perfect dielectric. The corrosion rate is then greatly reduced, and the pitting resistance is improved. The excellent localized corrosion protection has been explained by a tiny porosity rate, and a limited access of chloride ions through open pores.     

304 不锈钢在氯化钠介质中点蚀缓蚀剂的研究

目的研究钼酸钠、葡萄糖酸钠及其复配物在氯化钠介质中,对304不锈钢点蚀的缓蚀作用。方法对钼酸钠、葡萄糖酸钠按不同配比进行复配得到不同缓蚀剂,采用极化曲线法分别测试在这几种缓蚀剂存在的条件下,304不锈钢在3.5%(质量分数,后同)NaCl溶液中的点蚀电位。结果单组分的钼酸钠、葡萄糖酸钠对在3.5%NaCl介质中的304不锈钢点蚀有一定的抑制作用,且两种缓蚀剂有明显的协同缓蚀效应。结论当复配缓蚀剂配比为c(钼酸钠)∶c(葡萄糖酸钠)=2∶1时,其缓蚀效果达到最佳,点蚀电位为436 mV。     

304不锈钢在H2S介质条件下的应力腐蚀

用电化学测试及慢应变速率拉伸试验（SSRT）方法对304不锈钢在饱和H2S溶液和NACE标准溶液中的应力腐蚀行为进行研究.结果表明,Cl-能显著降低304不锈钢在饱和H2S溶液中的腐蚀电位和点蚀电位,增加点蚀倾向,并降低抗H2S应力腐蚀能力.     

The effect of temperature on the galvanic corrosion of the copper/AISI 304 pair in LiBr solutions under hydrodynamic conditions

The corrosion behaviour of copper and AISI 304 stainless steel and the galvanic corrosion generated by the copper/AISI 304 pair, have been studied by electrochemical methods. These materials have been tested in an 850 g/L LiBr solution at different temperatures (25-75 °C) and at different Reynolds numbers (1456-5066) in order to study their performance in absorption machines. Results show that copper was always the anodic element of the pair and its corrosion resistance decreases due to the AISI 304 stainless steel galvanic effect. Galvanic corrosion increases with temperature and Reynolds number. However, it was proved that the effect of temperature on galvanic corrosion is more influential than the Reynolds number effect. This fact is also certain for corrosion of uncoupled copper and for corrosion of AISI 304 stainless steel. Experimental values of the corrosion current densities fit well the Arrhenius plot at all the Reynolds numbers analysed and a potential relation between the corrosion current densities and the Reynolds number has been found.     

Pitting corrosion of cold rolled solution treated 17-4 PH stainless steel

In the present paper the effects the of cold rolling on pitting corrosion of 17-4 precipitation hardening stainless steel in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution was investigated. In order to clarify the effect of cold rolling the metastable pitting has been examined in more details. The results presented show that cold rolling increases the dissolution rate of metastable pitting in a manner which facilitates the transition from metastable to stable pitting. On the other hand, the frequency of occurrence of metastable pits decreases with cold working. In overall, cold rolling has no significant effect on pitting potential.     

CORROSION FATIGUE CRACK INITIATION BEHAVIOR OF 316L STAINLESS STEEL IN HANK’S SOLUTION

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Detection and characterization of stress-corrosion cracking on 304 stainless steel by electrochemical noise and acoustic emission techniques

This paper focuses on the corrosion process of 304 stainless steel in acidic NaCl solution during slow strain rate testing experiment by using electrochemical noise (EN) and acoustic emission (AE) techniques. Meanwhile, the EN and AE characteristics of corrosion process were studied. The results show that stress corrosion occurs easily in the experimental system, and corrosion forms develops gradually from localized corrosion including stress corrosion and pitting corrosion to general corrosion. The AE signal characteristics of pitting corrosion, crack and bubble break-up are significantly different during the corrosion process.