Steels aqueous environments

Steel Hydrogen gas Atomic hydrogen Hydrogen sulfide-containing aqueous environments Water d... 

Compared with ferritic carbon and low-alloy steels, relatively little information is available in the literature concerning stainless steels or nickel-base alloys. From the preceding section concerning low-alloy steels in high temperature aqueous environments, where environmental effects depend critically on water chemistry and dissolution and repassivation kinetics when protective oxide films are ruptured, it can be anticipated that this factor would be of even more importance for more highly alloyed corrosion-resistant materials. 

In principle, cathodic protection can be applied to all the so-called engineering metals. In practice, it is most commonly used to protect ferrous materials and predominantly carbon steel. It is possible to apply cathodic protection in most aqueous corrosive environments, although its use is largely restricted to natural near-neutral environments (soils, sands and waters, each with air access). Thus, although the general principles outlined here apply to virtually all metals in aqueous environments, it is appropriate that the emphasis, and the illustrations, relate to steel in aerated natural environments. 

Whilst cathodic protection can be used to protect most metals from aqueous corrosion, it is most commonly applied to carbon steel in natural environments (waters, soils and sands). In a cathodic protection system the sacrificial anode must be more electronegative than the structure. There is, therefore, a limited range of suitable materials available to protect carbon steel. The range is further restricted by the fact that the most electronegative metals (Li, Na and K) corrode extremely rapidly in aqueous environments. Thus, only magnesium, aluminium and zinc are viable possibilities. These metals form the basis of the three generic types of sacrificial anode. 

Although aluminium is a base metal, it spontaneously forms a highly protective oxide film in most aqueous environments, i.e. it passivates. In consequence, it has a relatively noble corrosion potential and is then unable to act as an anode to steel. Low level mercury, indium or tin additions have been shown to be effective in lowering (i.e. making more negative) the potential of the aluminium they act as activators (depassivators). Each element has been shown to be more effective with the simultaneous addition of zinc . Zinc additions of up to 5% lower the anode operating potential, but above this level no benefit is gained . Below 0 9 7o zinc there is little influence on the performance of aluminium anodes . Table 10.10 lists a number of the more common commercial alloys. 

Guide for crevice corrosion testing of iron base and nickel base stainless steels in seawater and other chloride-containing aqueous environments... 

This paper describes the application of novel electrochemical techniques to studies of paint films on steel substrates exposed to aqueous environments. 

Rust of iron (the most abundant corrosion product), and white rust of zinc are examples of nonprotective oxides. Aluminum and magnesium oxides are more protective than iron and zinc oxides. Patina on copper is protective in certain atmospheres. Stainless steels are passivated and protected, especially in chloride-free aqueous environments due to a very thin passive film of Cr2C>3 on the surface of the steel. Most films having low porosities can control the corrosion rate by diffusion of reactants through the him. In certain cases of uniform general corrosion of metals in acids (e.g., aluminum in hydrochloric acid or iron in reducible acids or alkalis), a thin him of oxide is present on the metal surface. These reactions cannot be considered hlm-free although the him is not a rate-determining one.1... 

The mitigation of corrosion can be achieved economically by the use of corrosion inhibitors. Chromate has been extensively used in an aqueous environment for the protection of aluminium, zinc and steel. Although chromates are cheap and effective, they are not acceptable because of their toxicity. Alternate inhibitors such as molybdates, organic inhibitors such as phosphonates, mixtures of phosphates, borates and silicates and surfactants like sulfonates have been used in place of chromates. Chromates are anodic inhibitors and help to form passive oxide on the metal surface. 

The importance of surface shear in passivity breakdown and the nucleation of damage on steel surfaces in high-temperature aqueous environments is discussed in Section 7 of this chapter. 

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