Characterization of Prerusted Steels in Some Ibero-American Atmospheres by Electrochemical Potential Noise Measurement

Abstract

The purpose of the MICAT project (Ibero-American Map of Atmospheric Corrosiveness) was to foster collaborative ventures between groups conducting research on atmospheric corrosion. Overall, 14 Ibero-American countries, including Spain and Portugal, are involved with a network of 71 test stations distributed throughout the region and on 4 continents. These test stations represent a broad spectrum of climatological and atmospheric pollution conditions. The objective of the MICAT electrochemical studies was to characterize the protective properties of the corrosion products formed during atmospheric exposure at the different test sites. Prerusted carbon steel specimens at different locations were immersed in a sodium sulfate solution. Some specimens were rust pretreated in phosphoric acid solution with additions of aluminum hydroxide (rust converters) electrochemically evaluated. Electrochemical noise measurements (ENM) and linear polarization resistance (LPR) measurements were performed for different times of immersion. Corrosion rates were related to the presence of the oxides that were initially formed. For specimens rusted in marine atmospheres, the presence of chlorides in the corrosion products promotes localized attack. As to the different rust-converted specimens, ENM revealed the pretreatment evolution and corrosion performance over time. ENM was able to characterize and evaluate the protective properties of oxides and pretreatments according to the nature and environmental conditions to which specimens were exposed.