An electrochemical and microstructural assessment of erosion–corrosion of cast iron

Abstract

An extensive study has been carried out on grey cast iron (BS 1452) in liquid erosion and liquid–solid erosion conditions in which weight loss tests have been used in conjunction with electrochemical measurements and microscopy. The study has revealed interesting effects of the impingement velocity in solid-free conditions and of solids loading at constant velocity. This experimental approach has enabled important interactive effects between mechanical and electrochemical processes to be quantified. It has been demonstrated that corrosion and erosion, when acting together, accentuate the weight loss above what can be accounted for by pure erosion or pure electrochemical corrosion. Sequential periods of erosion–corrosion affect the subsequent static corrosion behaviour and pre-corrosion of grey cast iron significantly affects the erosion–corrosion behaviour.