SECM Study of Effect of Chromium Content on the Localized Corrosion Behavior of Low-Alloy Steels in Chloride Environment

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of chromium (Cr) content (0, 1, 3 and 5% Cr) in epoxy-coated alloy steel against corrosion using in situ electrochemical techniques such as EIS and SECM in a 3% NaCl solution. The EIS results revealed that the epoxy-coated Cr steel exhibited higher impedance values than carbon steel, which is attributed to the greater resistance of Cr steel toward corrosion. Based on the cyclic voltammogram results, the tip potentials were set at −0.7, 0.04 and 0.60 V for determining the concentration of dissolved oxygen at cathodic region, and oxidation of Cr2+ and Fe2+ at anodic region, respectively. The SECM measurements showed that, the tip current in the anodic region has decreased with increase in Cr content of the sample, which indicates that the oxidation of Fe2+ and Cr2+ decreases (corrosion is reduced) with the increase in Cr content of the steel. Besides, 5% Cr steel can maintain the highest corrosion resistance, and 1 and 3% Cr steels have higher corrosion resistance than the 0% Cr steel. This higher corrosion resistance of Cr steel samples could be due to the formation of Cr-rich hydro-oxide layers [Cr(OH)3 as a corrosion product] on the surface of the samples. Thus, the epoxy-coated Cr alloy steel has greater corrosion resistance in a chloride-containing environment than the carbon steel. Hence, epoxy-coated Cr alloy steel can be successfully used as a construction material in structures.