Crevice corrosion causes

Evidence of localized corrosion can be obtained from polarization methods such as potentiodynamic polarization, EIS, and electrochemical noise measurements, which are particularly well suited to providing data on localized corrosion. When evidence of localized attack is obtained, the engineer needs to perform a careful analysis of the conditions that may lead to such attack. Correlation with process conditions can provide additional data about the susceptibility of the equipment to locaHzed attack and can potentially help prevent failures due to pitting or crevice corrosion. Since pitting may have a delayed initiation phase, careful consideration of the cause of the localized attack is critical. Laboratory testing and involvement of an... 

The three major forms of concentration cell corrosion are crevice corrosion, tuberculation, and underdeposit attack. Each form of corrosion is common in cooling systems. Many corrosion-related problems in the cooling water environment are caused by these three forms of wastage. The next three chapters—Chap. 2, Crevice Corrosion, Chap. 3, Tuberculation, and Chap. 4, Underdeposit Corrosion — will discuss cooling water system corrosion problems. 

Copper alloys often show only weak crevice corrosion. This is especially the case if the copper alloy is coupled to a less noble alloy such as steel. The corrosion of the steel is stimulated by the galvanic effect caused by the coupling of dissimilar metals. Hence, the sacrificial corrosion of the steel protects the copper alloy (Fig. 2.9). See Chap. 16, Galvanic Corrosion. ... 

Wastage was caused by long-term crevice corrosion. Attack was much more severe beneath the baffle than elsewhere. Subsequent investigation revealed severe damage at many baffles. 

Wastage was caused by crevice corrosion, accelerated by the difference in tube and tube sheet metallurgies. The brass tube, being more noble, was cathodically protected by corrosion of the surrounding mild steel tube sheet. However, the galvanic effect was secondary to the primary cause of failure, namely, crevice corrosion. 

Microstructural examinations revealed V-shaped openings along the tube seam, some extending into as much as 50% of the tube wall thickness. The incompletely closed seam provided a crevice in which differential concentration cells developed (see Chap. 2, Crevice Corrosion ). The resulting localized corrosion caused the observed pits. 

Concentration cell corrosion occurs in an environment in which an electrochemical cell is affected by a difference in concentrations in the aqueous medium. The most common form is crevice corrosion. If an oxygen concentration gradient exists (usually at gaskets and lap joints), crevice corrosion often occurs. Larger concentration gradients cause increased corrosion (due to the larger electrical potentials present). 

The classification given in Table 1.2 is based on the various forms that corrosion may take, but the terminology used in describing corrosion phenomena frequently places emphasis on the environment or cause of attack rather than the form of attack. Thus the broad classification of corrosion reactions into wet or dry is now generally accepted, and the nature of the process is frequently made more specific by the use of an adjective that indicates type or environment, e.g. concentration—cell corrosion, crevice corrosion, bimetallic corrosion and atmospheric corrosion. 

More often the passive layer is broken down locally and then the steel is said to be attacked by localized corrosion, the most important forms being pitting, crevice corrosion, and corrosion cracking. Most often the localized corrosion is caused by halogen ions such as chloride, bromide, and iodide. Pitting or pitting corrosion is seen as small pinholes on the surface of the steel. This section describes electrochemical instrumental methods to investigate and measure this form of corrosion attack. 

The two major types of localized corrosion discussed are pitting corrosion, and crevice corrosion including filiform corrosion. In spite of the different morphological appearance of these two types of corrosion (Figure 6.15), the electrochemical basis of these two types are almost the same. The difference may rise from different causes in the initiation step of pitting or crevice corrosion.25... 

The crevice corrosion mechanism is very similar to that of pitting with respect to the autocatalytic propagation. However, the causes of initiation, the morphology and the penetration of pitting are quite different from that of crevice corrosion (Figure 6.21).16... 

Wear impact plastic deformation makes some constituents more susceptible to corrosion. Cracks brittle constituents, tears apart ductile constituents to form sites for crevice corrosion, hydraulic splitting. Supplies kinetic energy to drive abrasion mechanism. Pressurizes mill water to cause splitting, cavitation, and jet erosion of metal and protective oxidized material. Pressurizes mill water and gases to produce unknown temperatures, phases changes, and decomposition or reaction products from ore and water constituents. Heats ball metal, ore, fluids to increase corrosive effects. 

Crevice corrosion is yet another example of corrosion caused by a difference in oxygen concentration between two areas on the metal surface. In this case, the region of low oxygen concentration lies inside a crevice caused by the overlapping of a piece of metal or other material, e.g. the crevice which exists under a washer pressed onto a metal surface (Fig.6). Even if the washer is insulating (e.g. nylon) as is used for mounting test coupons, corrosion will still occur. 

Two important forms of localized corrosion are pitting and crevice corrosion. Although the causes of these phenomena may be quite different, the chemistry involved is similar and the following discussion is pertinent to both. 

For detection of more localized corrosion, such as crevice corrosion or SCC, other ultrasonic inspection techniques may be useful. Baseline data generated at the time of installation will also be helpful in evaluating results. One benefit derived from this type of inspection technique is that it can often be conducted with little or no interference with production. Periodic planned visual inspection of equipment utilized under conditions likely to cause stress cracking is also an effective technique, especially when combined with non-destructive inspection techniques such as dye penetrant inspection. It may be necessary to remove coatings or insulation from the equipment surface to facilitate inspection. 

These forms of corrosion are similar to differential aeration corrosion, in that an oxygen-free region becomes acidic by virtue of the net anodic reaction and consequently corrodes rapidly when coupled to a region in aerated solution. However, a key difference is that these forms of corrosion occur on alloys that are initially passive so there is no limit to the area of the passive, cathodic region. Thus, the severity of the attack may be much greater (Fig. 3). Crevice corrosion occurs when there is a narrow gap between two pieces of metal or a piece of metal and an insulator. The oxygen is consumed by the slow passive corrosion in the crevice, causing the crevice to become sufficiently acidic that the passivity breaks down and active corrosion starts. This then... 

Fig. 3 Crevice and pitting corrosion of a stainless steel autoclave head. Note the crevice corrosion underneath the bolts (now removed) and in the gap between the two parts that are still assembled, and the pitting corrosion on the free surface. This corrosion was probably caused by chloride derived from thermal insulation. (View this art in color at www. dekker.com.)...

In the case of the nickel alloys, the stability of the passive layer is a problem. The alloys depend on the oxide films or the passive layers for corrosion resistance and are susceptible to crevice corrosion. The conventional mechanism for crevice corrosion assumes that the sole cause for the localized attack is related to compositional aspects such as the acidification or the migration of the aggressive ions into the crevice solution [146]. These solution composition changes can cause the breakdown of the passive film and promote the acceleration and the autocatalysis of the crevice corrosion. In some cases, the classic theory does not explain the crevice corrosion where no acidification or chloride ion build up occurs [147]. 

The crevice corrosion occurred even at constant pH and zero chloride concentration, and was shown to be caused by the ohmic drop placed by the local electrode potential existing on the crevice wall in the active peak region of the polarization curve [148]. This can involve an increase in the... 

Rupture of Organic Protective Films This condition differs from other causes of localized corrosion since these protective films are nonconductors and, as such, do not support the cathodic reaction. After the rupture in the coating, corrosion may progress under the coating by crevice corrosion mechanisms, resulting in further damage. 

---