Abstract
The potential at which hydrogen evolution occurs on the surface of steel embedded in concrete must be determined accurately if cathodic protection is to be safely applied to prestressed concrete structures. Concrete specimens containing embedded steel were polarized using both a rectified unfiltered alternating current (A.C.) and a true direct electrical current (D.C.) from a potentiostat. Commercial cathodic protection rectifiers possess characteristics between these two extremes. The specimens were enclosed in bell jars, and samples of the air above the specimens were periodically collected. The presence and quantity of hydrogen was determined using gas chromatography. Details of the study are described. It was found that applied D.C. potentials of 1.3 and 1.4 volts, 32 and 79%, respectively, of the applied engergy was being used to generate hydrogen.
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