Nickel-chromium alloys pitting corrosion

Tomashov, N. D., Chernova, G. P. and Markova, O. N., Effect of Alloying Elements on the Tendency of Stainless Chromium-Nickel Steels to Pitting Corrosion , Sa. Korroziya Meta i Splavov, 73 (1963) C.A., 60, 3805b... 

The seawater-exposed nickel-chromium alloys usually contain molybdenum as well to raise their resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion. Table 60 lists the main relevant NiCrMo alloys together with their pitting resistance equivalents. 

Nickel is usually alloyed with elements including copper, chromium, molybdenum and then for strengthening and to improve corrosion resistance for specific applications. Nickel-copper alloys (and copper-nickel alloys see Section 53.5.4) are widely used for handling water. Pumps and valve bodies for fresh water, seawater and mildly acidic alkaline conditions are made from cast Ni-30% Cu type alloys. The wrought material is used for shafts and stems. In seawater contaminated with sulfide, these alloys are subject to pitting and corrosion fatigue. Ammonia contamination creates corrosion problems as for commercially pure nickel. 

The fact that the composition of the speculum deposit must be closely controlled to obtain the best results has been a serious drawback to development. The coating finds uses on decorative hollow-ware, oil lamps and tableware. The bronze deposits with 10 or 20% tin are used lacquered in decorative metal-ware for domestic and personal ornament and, in thick layers to protect hydraulic pit props against corrosion and abrasion. They have also been used with success as undercoatings for nickel-chromium or tin-nickel alloy deposits. 

The effect of the chromium content of the alloy on corrosion in boiling acids is shown in Table 4.7 along with the data for carbon steel and low-carbon and low-nitrogen 35% Cr alloys. The data show that the corrosion rates of 18 Cr-8 Ni (Type 304) is lower than Type 430 and 446 that is devoid of nickel. The nickel is the alloy probably reduces the rate of hydrogen evolution reaction. The molybdenum in Type 316 alloy was found to be useful in protection from pitting by chloride ions. 

The major alloying element contributing to resistance to pitting corrosion in iron- and nickel-base alloys is chromium. The effect of chromium in reducing both the critical current density and the passivating potential of iron in 1 N H2S04 is shown by the polarization curves of... 

Nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloys are used in reactor vessels in the production of acetic acid. These alloys are cost-effective compared to Ni-Cr stainless steels and have good resistance to oxidizing corrosive media Ni-Mo alloys have good resistance to reducing media. Molybdenum together with the chromium stabilizes the passive film in the presence of chlorides and is particularly effective in increasing resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion. 

Molybdenum in combination with chromium increases the corrosion-resistant properties of ferritic stainless steel in chloride electrolytes and is effective in increasing the resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion. Cr-Ni-Mo-Cu alloys increase the passivity in sulfuric acid concentrations with concentrations between 20% and 70%. Nickel... 

By alloying nickel with both molybdenum and chromium, an alloy is obtained resistant to oxidizing media imparted by alloyed chromium, as well as to reducing media imparted by molybdenum. One such alloy, which also contains a few percent iron and tungsten (AUoy C), is immune to pitting and crevice corrosion in seawater (10-year exposure) and does not tarnish appreciably when exposed to marine atmospheres. Alloys of this kind, however, despite improved resistance to Cl, corrode more rapidly in hydrochloric acid than do the nickel-molybdenum alloys that do not contain chromium. 

Alloys such as 304 and 316 stainless steel or nickel-chromium cdloys exhibit deep pitting in low flow conditions, yet at high seawater velocities their corrosion rate decreases to less than 25 pm per year. Contrary to this, iron and copper show significantly lower corrosion rates at low flow velocities than rmder high seawater flow conditions [37]. 

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