Chapter 9 - Selection of Materials for Corrosive Environment

Abstract

Material selection is critical to engineering design. Corrosion may be minimized by employing an appropriate design. The selection of appropriate materials in a given environment is a key factor for corrosion control strategy. The material selected has to meet the criteria for mechanical strength, corrosion, and erosion resistance for specific service conditions. For instance, high-performance corrosion-resistant alloys are specified for valves and piping systems in aggressive environments encountered in refineries and chemical processing plants. The list of factors affecting the performance of materials are: expected performance and functions of the product, physical characteristics, strength and mechanical characteristics, corrosion and wear characteristics, fabrication parameters, and recycling possibilities. Each factor is briefly discussed in the chapter. The corrosion resistance of materials depends on the nature of the corrosive environment. A material may be extremely corrosion resistant in an environment and yet fail in another environment. Therefore, the knowledge of corrosion resistance of a material in a given environment is of fundamental importance to its successful application.