High Corrosion Research Articles

Effect of Ferrite Second Phase on Shape Memory Effect of Corrosion‐Resistant Fe–Mn–Si Shape Memory Alloy

At present, Fe–Mn–Si shape memory alloy with high corrosion resistance has become the focus of attention because of its special requirements in some fields. On the basis of Fe–Mn–Si shape memory alloy, a corrosion‐resistant shape memory alloy was designed by adding Cr and other alloy elements. The microstructure characteristics and phase ratio control mechanism of the annealed alloy and the influence mechanism of the second phase (ferrite) and ratio on the alloy memory effect are emphatically studied. The results show that ferrite and austenite are evenly distributed at low annealing temperature, and there is thermal‐induced ε‐martensite at the same time. Appropriate thermal‐induced ε‐martensite can strengthen the austenite matrix, and the shape recovery rate is high at this time. With the increase of annealing temperature, the volume fraction and grain size of ferrite increase, the volume fraction of thermal‐induced ε‐martensite and austenite decreases, and the shape recovery rate decreases, but it is beneficial to improve the corrosion resistance.

High Temperature Corrosion Resistant and Anti-slagging Coatings for Boilers: A Review

AbstractHigh temperature corrosion and slag deposition significantly reduce the thermal efficiency and lifespan of biomass-fired boilers. Surface modification with protective coatings can enhance boiler performance and prevent commercial losses due to maintenance and damage. This review focuses on the development of corrosion-resistant coatings (CRCs) and anti-slagging coatings (ASCs) over the past decade. CRCs are explored through thermal spray processes that include arc spray, atmospheric plasma spray (APS), high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF), detonation gun (D-gun™), and cold spray. Studies on alloys, ceramics, and ceramic–metal composites are summarised, highlighting the high temperature corrosion prevention mechanisms and discussing new coating materials. ASCs are reviewed in the context of advancements via thermal spray and slurry spray methods. The mechanisms for slag reduction, testing methods to evaluate ASC effectiveness, and the necessary architecture for preventing slag deposition are examined. A lab-based rig simulating fly ash deposition onto water-cooled coating coupons for anti-slagging investigations is also presented. Further research is needed to develop and evaluate materials for ASCs effectively. Graphical Abstract

Tribological behavior of medium entropy boride (Ta,Zr,Ti)B2 densified at a relatively low temperature of 1600 °C

Medium and High entropy borides with high hardness and corrosion resistance are promising wear resistant materials. High temperature (>2000 °C) is always necessary for the densification of medium and high entropy borides. Using a mixture of 10 vol% metallic cobalt and 20 vol% SiC as additives, medium entropy (Ti,Zr,Ta)B2 ceramics were prepared at a relatively low temperature of 1600 °C by SPS. The reduced sintering temperature is attributed to the synergistic effect of Co and SiC that wet the grain boundary and promote the interdiffusion. The prepared (Ti,Zr,Ta)B2 obtains the microhardness of 22.54 ± 0.92 GPa, comparable with other medium entropy boride ceramics prepared at 2000 °C. The tribo-tests results of (Ti,Zr,Ta)B2 sliding against steel suggests that the tribological performance are load dependent. As the load increases, the friction coefficient first rises and then falls at a load of 10 N, which is associated with the chemical differences of the tribofilm. The tribofilm is primarily composed of O and Fe, along with Zr, Ti and Ta oxides. The iron oxide in the tribofilm will deteriorate the tribological performance. Abrasive wear is the main wear mechanism at lower load of 1 N, while adhesive wear is the predominant wear mechanism at 10 N.

Enhancing adhesion and durability: A biomimetic approach with dopamine-modified lignin-polydimethylsiloxane coatings

Corrosion causes significant challenges in industrial settings, leading to economic losses and safety concerns. Previously, we developed a lignin-polydimethylsiloxane (lignin-PDMS) coating that exhibited high corrosion resistance. However, the adhesion of the developed lignin-PDMS coating to carbon steel was limited, affecting its overall performance. To address this, we incorporated dopamine (DOPA), known for its strong adhesive properties, as a pre-treatment before applying the coating. It was found that the adhesion and corrosion resistance of lignin-PDMS coated steel could be improved by adjusting the pH value of the DOPA solution. The steel treated with pH 4.5 DOPA solution showed two times higher adhesion strength to the coating than non-treated steel. After the DOPA treatment, the coating can maintain high barrier property for at least 3 months in 1 M NaCl solution, which is even better than commercial gelcoat, demonstrating super corrosion protection. Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation (QCM-D) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) analyses confirmed the DOPA deposition on the steel surface. Our findings show that the DOPA-lignin-PDMS system is an environmentally friendly and efficient solution for enhancing the durability of steels in corrosive environments.

Alumina-based ceramic coatings obtained by the SHS process for high temperature corrosion and wear protection of steel tubulars

Ceramic coatings have much potential for steel tubulars' protection against high temperature corrosion of gases and liquids, often containing abrasive solid particles, and to enhance their integrity in severe power generation, mineral and oil & gas production environments. Combining self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) with high-speed centrifugal process, alumina-based coatings were produced onto the inner surface of tubulars for these applications. According to the developed SHS batch formulation and the designed centrifugal device and process, well-consolidated composite ceramic layers with a thickness of 1.5–3 mm have been obtained. The developed SHS process does not create hazardous gases, and it takes ∼30 s for the ceramic phase formation. A high-level compaction due to centrifugal forces and a liquid phase sintering approach provided a dense gradient ceramic structure formed by oxide grains cemented by a glassy phase and bonded with a steel substrate through a thin iron layer. The coatings were successfully produced onto the inner surface of carbon and stainless steels’ tubes of up to 12 ft-lengths and standard dimensions from 2 to 3/8″ to 7.5” OD. The coatings were tested, for the first time, in wear and high-temperature corrosive environments, e.g., in steam–H2S–CO2 gases and molten salts, with encouraging results due to high contents of Al2O3 and some other oxides and consolidated ceramic structure. They can be recommended for applications in high-temperature (900 °C and greater) corrosive environments and erosive flows.

Comprehensive analysis of mechanical properties, wear, and corrosion behavior of AA7075-T6 alloy subjected to cryogenic treatment for aviation and defense applications

It is important that the parts to be used in the aviation and defense industry have high wear, fatigue and corrosion resistance. AA7075-T6 alloys are increasingly used in every field due to their advantageous physical and mechanical properties. However, some of the materials of this alloy types exhibit excellent fatigue strength and ductility, but their surface hardness and surface roughness after processing may be poor. For this reason, the wear resistance of AA7075-T6 aluminum alloy expected to be improved in order to increase their corrosion resistance properties. In this work, cryogenic treatment was applied to AA7075-T6 alloy and the mechanical characteristics, wear and corrosion behaviors of these samples were examined. As a result of the experiments, it was determined that cryogenic treatment improved the wear behavior of AA7075-T6 alloy. The untreated sample was found to have the highest wear rate, whereas the sample with deep cryogenic treatment (DCT) had the lowest wear rate. The hardness of the DCT process increased by 5.79 %, according to macro hardness measurements, making the AA7075-T6 alloy harder from 80.16 HRB to 84.8. The SEM images revealed that, the shallow cryogenic and deep cryogenic operations had substantial effects on the microstructure by modifying the size and distribution of precipitates in the AA7075-T6 alloy. In addition, tensile and hardness tests were carried out to assess the mechanical characteristics of the samples. Accordingly, the maximum tensile strength and hardness values were obtained in the deep cryogenically treated sample. The tensile strength of the DCT sample was approximately 544.18 MPa, a considerable 11.5 % increase above the untreated sample's 488.07 MPa strength. In potentiodynamic polarization testing, the DCT treated sample was determined to have the maximum corrosion resistance. Among the materials tested, the DCT sample showed the strongest corrosion resistance, with a corrosion potential of −0.689 V and a corrosion rate of 0.021 mm/year. Wear rate analysis revealed that DCT samples experienced the least material loss, demonstrating improved abrasion resistance. Enhanced hardness and the formation of stable oxide tribo-layers contributed to these superior wear characteristic.

Performance repair of building materials using alumina and silica composite nanomaterials with electrodynamic properties

Abstract In recent years, the service life of building materials has become the focus of attention. Among them, the service life of concrete and steel bars is particularly affected by the corrosion of external ions (such as Cl−) in the environment. To solve this problem, a new type of composite nanocolloid was prepared through a controllable preparation method. The composite nanocolloid is prepared from aluminum chloride sol and silica sol as raw materials. The prepared colloidal particles have a particle size distribution between 10.5 and 17.5 nm, exhibiting excellent stability and dispersibility. In order to verify the improvement effect of the composite nanocolloid on the properties of building materials, the influence of it on the porosity of concrete and the anti-corrosion performance of steel bars was experimentally studied. The results indicate that the moisture absorption and dehumidification speed of concrete treated with composite nano colloids is slower, and the pore size distribution is mainly concentrated in 100–1,000 nm, indicating that the colloids can effectively optimize the pore structure of concrete. In addition, the processed steel plate samples showed high AC impedance values and low corrosion current logarithmic values in electrochemical testing, indicating that composite nanocolloids have a significant protective effect on the corrosion of steel bars, which can effectively improve the performance of building materials and extend their service life.

High corrosion-resistance and electrical-conductivity phytic acid/permanganate composite coating on AZ31 magnesium alloy

A composite coating based on phytic acid and permanganate was developed on AZ31 magnesium alloy via two-step chemical conversion process, exhibiting high corrosion resistance and low contact resistance. The morphology, composition, anti-corrosion properties and electrical properties of the composite coating were characterized. The composite coating was mainly composed of magnesium phytate, MnO2 and Mn2O3. The corrosion protective efficiency of the composite coating is 80.25 %, which is higher than that of the phytic acid coating and potassium permanganate coating. Furthermore, the composite coating shows low electrical contact resistance around 0.083 Ω cm2, which is close to the potassium permanganate coating but much higher than the phytic acid coating. The high corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity of the composite coating can be attributed to the growth of conductive manganese oxide at the cracks or pores of the anti-corrosion phytic acid coating.

Naphthenic Acid Corrosion Mitigation: The Role of Niobium in Low-Carbon Steel.

Naphthenic acid corrosion is a well-recognized factor contributing to corrosion in the construction of offshore industry pipelines. To mitigate the corrosive effects, minor quantities of alloying elements are introduced into the steel. This research specifically explores the corrosion effects arising from immersing low-carbon steel, specifically A333 Grade 6, in a naphthenic acid solution. Various weight percentages of niobium were incorporated, and the resulting properties were observed. It was noted that the addition of 2% niobium in low-carbon steel exhibited the least mass loss and a lower corrosion rate after a 12 h immersion in naphthenic acid. Microstructural analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed small white particles, indicating the presence of oil sediment residue, along with corrosion pits. Following the addition of 2% niobium, the occurrence of corrosion pits markedly decreased, and only minor voids were observed. Additionally, the chemical composition analysis using energy-dispersive X-Ray analysis (EDX) showed that the black spot exhibited the highest percentage of carbon, resembling high corrosion attack. Meanwhile, the whitish regions with low carbon content indicated the lowest corrosion attack. The results demonstrated that the addition of 2% niobium yielded optimal properties for justifying corrosion effects. Therefore, low-carbon steel with a 2% niobium addition can be regarded as a superior corrosion-resistant material for offshore platform pipeline applications.

Stabilizing high solid content slurries for SiC membrane preparation with enhanced separation performances

Silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic membranes are highly sought-after for their exceptional properties including high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, good hydrophilicity, high flux, and high mechanical strength. However, achieving stable regulation of high solid content SiC slurries for membrane preparation remains a significant challenge. This study presents a novel approach to stabilize the dispersion of high solid content SiC slurries by controlling parameters such as solid content, pH, ball milling time and spray coating parameters. Furthermore, the impact of different milling durations on SiC particle size and membrane performance is systematically investigated, establishing, for the first time, a direct correlation between milling time and particle size. The investigations reveal that prolonged ball milling, specifically 18 h, results in a notable reduction in membrane pore size by approximately 40 %, accompanied by a remarkable enhancement in retention performance, as evidenced by a substantial increase in the average retention rate for 500 nm fluorescent microspheres from 54.61 % to 98.89 %. This study not only offers a practical method for the stable preparation of ceramic slurries, but also provide important reference for membrane morphology control and pore size regulation. These insights hold significant promise for advancing SiC membrane technology in applications such as wastewater treatment and resource recovery.

Exploring heat treatment on the corrosion resistance of SA106B tubes in high temperature pressurized water with different flow velocities

The SA106B carbon steel was widely used for the pipeline in pressurized water reactor and suffered from severe high temperature corrosion. In this work, we expected to improve its corrosion resistance through simple heat treatment. The results showed that the tubes after the treatment normalized at 920 ℃ for 20 min and subsequently cooled in air displayed the best corrosion resistance due to the elimination of banded ferrite/pearlite structure, the reduction in the area ratio of anode/cathode and the decrease in grain size. In addition, the oxidation process and the effect of flow velocity were also discussed in detail.

Nature-Inspired Incorporation of Precipitants into High-Strength Bulk Aluminum Alloys Enables Life-Long Extraordinary Corrosion Resistance in Diverse Aqueous Environments.

The safe service and wide applications of lightweight high-strength aluminum alloys are seriously challenged by diverse environmental corrosion, since high strength and corrosion resistance are mutually exclusive for metals while surface protection cannot provide life-long corrosion resistance. Here, inspired by fish secreting slime from glands to resist external changes, a strategy of incorporating precipitants as the slime into bulk metals using the inner cavity of opened carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the glands is developed to enable high-strength aluminum alloys with life-long superior corrosion resistance. The resulting material has ultrahigh tensile strength (≈700MPa) and extraordinary corrosion resistance in acidic, neutral and alkaline media. Notably, it has the highest resistance to intergranular corrosion, exfoliation corrosion and stress-corrosion cracking, compared with all previously reported aluminum alloys, and its corrosion rate is even much lower than that of corrosion-resistant pure aluminum, which results from the pronounced surface enrichment of precipitants released (secreted) from exposed CNTs forming a protective surface film. Such high corrosion resistance is life-long and self-healing due to the on-demand minimal self-supply of the precipitants dispersed throughout the bulk material. This strategy can be readily expanded to other aluminum alloys, and could pave the way for developing corrosion-resistant high-strength metallic materials.

Ultrafast pressureless sintering of high conductivity Ni-based cermets inert anode for Carbon‐free electrolytic aluminum

Cermet is a promising inert anode material to solve the problem of high carbon emission and bearing C-F harmful gas generation of primary aluminum produced from bauxite using molten electrolysis with carbon anode. However, a major challenge for traditional methods is to ensure that the cermet inert anode simultaneously has good conductivity, corrosion resistance, and strength. Herein, a new ultrafast pressureless sintering (UPS) method is developed to greatly improve the conductivity of metal ceramic inert anode materials while ensuring good corrosion resistance and strength. In a departure from conventional practice that metal phase undergoes local enrichment accompanied by irregular formation of ceramic particles at low heating rates, here UPS achieves rapid diffusion and uniform distribution of metal phase at regular ceramic particle interfaces during liquid phase sintering. The new method is applicable to Ni-based cermet and the production of Ni-based cermet inert anode with excellent conductivity in a few tens of seconds has been demonstrated, which is able to improve the quality of cermet inert anode requiring a low energy input. The conductivity of cermet produced by the applied UPS process is 15-fold higher than that of other pressureless sintering processes with low heating rates. These Ni-cermet inert anodes exhibit high corrosion resistance and density with excellent mechanical properties. This rapid sintering technique facilitates the structural design of inert anodes and develops a pathway of new systems with scalable, efficient, and high-quality sintering of composite materials.

Microstructural Analysis and Microhardness Evaluation of Stainless Steel SS304 Joints Utilizing Microwave Hybrid Heating (MHH) and Cold/Heat Processing: A Fuzzy Logic Approach

Stainless steel SS304 is extensively used in dental applications for its high strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance. However, Conventional dental joining techniques such as soldering and fusion welding, reliant on elevated temperatures and toxic fluxes, present substantial oral health risks, leading to potential health deterioration due to toxic emissions. The study proposes the utilization of a microwave hybrid heating process (MHH) for joining stainless steel SS304 (15mm × 7.9mm × 0.2mm) and pure zinc metal powder (44 µm, 99% purity), citing its enhanced efficiency, speed, precision, and diminished environmental footprint as key characteristics without fume. It explores heat processing between 30°C to 60°C and cold temperature processing from 0°C to 10°C to analyze alterations in hardness properties and microstructures. The study identified a direct correlation between temperature and microhardness, observing an increase in microhardness with rising temperatures. Optimal microhardness of 208.6 HV was achieved at 60°C during a 3 min heat treatment. Cold temperatures induced slight deformation and grain transformation, while heat treatment enhanced grain density and hardness, particularly in the strongly bonded boundary layer, with experimental and predicted values using Fuzzy logic showing promising outcomes and errors below 10%. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that achieving a specific hardness value in stainless steel joints is highly desirable for dental applications, alongside the observation of favorable microstructures. These findings underscore the potential of MHH to propel dental technology forward and promote sustainable practices while addressing environmental concerns.

Influence of Grain Size and Film Formation Potential on the Diffusivity of Point Defects in the Passive Film of Pure Aluminum in NaCl Solution

The influence of grain size on the corrosion behavior of pure aluminum and the defect density and diffusion coefficient of surface passive films were investigated using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and electrochemical testing techniques, based on the point defect model (PDM). Samples with three different grain sizes (23 ± 11, 134 ± 52, and 462 ± 203 μm) were obtained by annealing at different temperatures and times. The polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results for the pure aluminum in the 3.5% NaCl solution showed that with decreasing grain size, the corrosion current (icorr) decreased monotonously, giving rise to a noble corrosion potential and a large polarization resistance. The Motte–Schottky results showed that the passive films that formed on pure aluminum with fine grains of 23 ± 11 μm had a low density (3.82 × 1020 cm−3) of point defects, such as oxygen vacancies and/or metal interstitials, and a small diffusion coefficient (1.94 × 10−17 cm2/s). The influence of grain size on corrosion resistance was discussed. This work demonstrated that grain refinement could be an effective approach to achieving high corrosion resistance of passive metals.

Wide-Temperature Characteristics of Additively PBF-LB/M Processed Material Ti6Al4V

Titanium-based alloys are a widely applicable engineering material with high strength, low weight, non-magnetic, and corrosion resistance. At the same time, resistance to low temperatures is declared, which offers the material’s applicability for, e.g., aircraft or ship technology. Additive technologies are part of the industrial spectrum of material processing, especially the Laser Powder Bed Fusion of Metals method for metal alloys, which creates a layered structure of the resulting body. The topology of the internal structure, in relation to the temperature history of the functional environment, influences thermal expansion and the associated functional characteristics. Knowledge of the thermal expansion of printed strength and non-strength functional components and accessories is essential for future applications, especially in environments with high repeatable temperature changes, such as the aerospace industry. This paper presents the results of testing the expansion, mechanical, microstructural, and mineralogical characteristics of Ti6Al4V over the temperature range of −70 to 60 °C using a combination of instrumental techniques such as X-ray diffraction and nanoindentation. It was found that the topological orientations of the printed samples directly influenced the tested properties, e.g., the coefficient of thermal expansion in the direction perpendicular to the printed layers showed approximately 12% lower value compared to the other directions. Due to the progression of the application of the manufacturing method and its applicability within selected industries, the research provides results in a new area, which is supported by the relevant research.

Dynamic Recyclable High-Performance Epoxy Resins via Triazolinedione-Indole Click Reaction and Cation-π Interaction Synergistic Crosslinking.

Thermosetting plastics exhibit remarkable mechanical properties and high corrosion resistance, yet the permanent covalent crosslinked network renders these materials challenging for reshaping and recycling. In this study, a high-performance polymer film (EI25-TAD5-Mg) was synthesized by combining click chemistry and cation-π interactions. The internal network of the material was selectively constructed through flexible triazolinedione (TAD) and indole via a click reaction. Cation-π interactions were established between Mg2+ and electron-rich indole units, leading to network contraction and reinforcement. Dynamic non-covalent interactions improved the covalent crosslinked network, and the reversible dissociation of cation-π interactions during loading provided effective energy dissipation. Finally, the epoxy resin exhibited excellent mechanical properties (tensile strength of 91.2 MPa) and latent dynamic behavior. Additionally, the thermal reversibility of the C-N click reaction and dynamic cation-π interaction endowed the material with processability and recyclability. This strategy holds potential value in the field of modifying covalent thermosetting materials.

Vitrification as a Key Solution for Immobilisation Within Nuclear Waste Management

AbstractVitreous materials in the form of both relatively homogeneous glasses and composite glass crystalline materials (GCM) incorporating disperse crystalline phases are currently the most reliable wasteforms effectively used on industrial scale for nuclear waste immobilisation. Glasses are stable solid-state materials with a topologically disordered atomic structure in the form of solid solutions, i.e. solutions frozen via vitrification to a solid state without forming regular crystalline phases. Nuclear waste vitrification is attractive because of technological and compositional flexibility enabling hazardous elements to be safely immobilised and providing a glassy material characterised by high corrosion resistance, mechanical and radiation durability, as well as effectively reducing the volume of the resulting wasteform.

Investigation and optimization on the formability of aluminum 1050/stainless steel 304L bilayer sheets fabricated by cold roll bonding considering the Box-Behnken method

Composite metal sheets have found extensive applications thanks to their high corrosion and wear resistance, as well as greater strength, stiffness, and formability relative to the base sheets. Stainless steel composite sheets account for over 80% of the metallic composite sheets. Their higher performance and lower costs have increased their applications in the food and automotive industries. This study experimentally addressed the formability of the Al 1050/Stainless Steel 304 L bilayer sheets prepared through the cold rolling process. After designing the experiment using the response surface method, considering the layer thickness and reduction ratio of the rolling process, the bilayer sheets were prepared using the cold roll bonding process. Formability included the forming limit diagram, the magnitude of FLD0, and elongation, which were derived by Nakazima and tensile tests. Then, the formability was optimized as a function of input parameters considering the Box-Behnken method. To this end, a new criterion was presented to compare the formability of the sheets. This criterion can be used to assess the formability of a sheet considering various loading modes. Microstructural observations justified the variations in the formability of the bilayer sheets against the input parameters, i.e., thickness ratio and reduction ratio. The results indicated that the formability of the Al 1050/Stainless Steel 304 L bilayer sheet (i.e., safe forming region) reached its maximum value at tAl=4mm;tSS=0.8mm;andr=45%.

SensorDisc - a novel approach to in-situ assessment of bolt load and condition.

While Structural Health Monitoring has become widespread and well-accepted for ensuring safety and longevity of buildings and facilities, the condition of fasteners in said structures is oftentimes not considered for holistic condition assessment. This is not representative of the role fixings (in particular, bolt connections) play, as they experience high loads, fatigue, and corrosion, with the potential for causing costly consequences in case of failure. In practice, the condition assessment of bolts is usually carried out by periodic re-tightening and manual documentation of the torque and apparent condition. This procedure is not only labor-intensive but also fails to provide deeper insights into the condition of the bolted connection itself. Furthermore, in many cases, the inspection intervals are not tailored to the specific needs of projects and structures but are based on general assumptions, which necessarily represent a compromise between costly over-caution and accepting blind spots. One possible reason for not making more widespread use of monitoring technology in this case is the high cost and complexity of conventional bolt monitoring, where individual bolts are manually fitted with load sensors, and data processing is performed by highly skilled professionals. A solution for this dilemma is presented in the form of the fischer SensorDisc, which offers a fully integrated, robust, and convenient option for bolt load assessment. One of the key features that distinguish the SensorDisc is its dedicated design for use in industrial and construction environments. Not only can it be used in a variety of bolt connections, either as original equipment or as a retrofit, but it also does not require special tools for readout, as this can be accomplished with a common smartphone. For maximized ease of use, data and device management are all offered through a cloud-based service that can be accessed via an app, browser, or API.