Evaluation of Atmospheric Corrosivity by ACM Technique

Abstract

The atmospheric corrosion has been shown to be an electrochemical process, the atmospheric corrosion behavior of Q235 stell evaluated with ACM (Atmospheric corrosion monitor) electrochemical technique was investigated in the study. The experimental results showed that there existed a close relation between electrochemical data and climatic parameters was confirmed. Taking into consideration accuracy and sensitivity of electrochemical technique, the ISO-standardized time of wetness (TOW) seems to be too conservative. SO2 seems to be more aggressive than chloride on metal corrosion in the early stage of atmospheric corrosion but the complexion reverses in the final stage of atmospheric corrosion. The ratio of corrosion rate from integration of ACM current to corrosion rate from weight loss of test specimens, that is, cell factor is fairly constant at the same test site but varied greatly between test sites. Based on constant cell factors and close relation between electrochemical data and climatic parameters in all test sites, ACM electrochemical technique can evaluate and classify the short-term atmospheric corrosivity as a substitute for gravimetric method, and the verification shows that atmospheric corrosivity classifications according to integration of ACM current and especially to cell factor coincide with the specifications of ISO Standard.