Super-duplex stainless steels are in great demand in various industrial fields such as chemical processing and seawater desalination due to their excellent pitting corrosion resistance. However, detrimental phases can easily form during fabrication, and even minor additions of alloying elements can significantly impact their microstructure and properties. This study investigated the effects Cu or Ti additions on a super-duplex stainless steel. First, the effects of annealing time at 950 °C on the microstructure and corrosion characteristics were investigated. It was found that as the annealing time increased, the fraction of sigma phase increased; however, the corrosion resistance in the electrochemical test using a 3.5 % NaCl electrolyte showed only a slight improvement. The microstructure of duplex stainless steel with added Cu or Ti did not differ significantly from that of the base steel. However, the overall corrosion resistance showed improvement, and in particular, an observed increase in pitting potential. Investigating the characteristics of the passive film on the alloy surface revealed that the stability of the passive film was higher in alloys with added Cu or Ti compared to the standard alloy. Among these, the alloy with Cu addition had the thickest film, while the Ti-added alloy had the highest Cr concentration and a film thickness greater than that of the standard alloy.

This study systematically investigated the efficacy of incorporating graphene/cerium hydroxide (GH) composite material into epoxy-modified polyurethane resin coatings for enhancing the corrosion resistance of Q690qE steel within polluted marine atmospheric conditions. The research encompassed a range of electrochemical assessments and analyses. Notably, the E/GH-0.3% coating displayed a substantially positive open-circuit potential (OCP) and prominently reduced corrosion current density, leading to annual corrosion rates of 2.72 mm/a following 25 days of immersion. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) elucidated the superiority of the E/GH-0.3% coating, characterized by the highest impedance modulus |Z| at 0.1 Hz, indicative of robust corrosion protection. Remarkably, the self-healing performance of E/GH-0.3% and E/ GH-0.5% coatings was evidenced by the formation of a composite passivation layer at scratch sites, particularly pronounced after 40 days of immersion. These findings underscore the promising potential of the GH composite as an effective corrosion inhibitor, holding significant promise for the advancement of protective coatings in harsh coastal industrial environments.

In this study, corrosion fatigue crack propagation was investigated in pH buffer environment using the giga strength steel and its heat-affected zone, and the results were compared with theoretical model prediction. Also, the pure corrosion effect on fatigue crack propagation in a corrosive environment was compared with the modified Forman equation. As results, the average value of corrosion rate obtained as the ratio of the net corrosion-induced crack length to the total crack length under cyclic loading in the base metal and heat-affected zone under experimental loading conditions. These results exhibit a new theoretical method for corrosion fatigue crack propagation that predicts a purely corrosion effect on the behavior to be determined.

In this study, using the plasma spray method, tensile and compression fatigue tests are performed in saline solution to examine the effect of Ti undercoat on corrosion fatigue behavior of alumina-coated specimens. The alumina-coated material using Ti in the undercoat shows better corrosion fatigue strength than the base material in the entire stress amplitude range. Fatigue cracking of UT specimens occurs in the recess formed by grit-blasting treatment and progresses toward the base metal. Subsequently, the undercoat is destroyed at a stage where the deformation of the undercoat cannot follow the crack opening displacement. The residual stress of the UT specimen has a tensile residual stress up to about 100 μm below the surface of the base material; however, when the depth exceeds 100 μm, the residual stress becomes a compressive residual stress. In addition, the inside of the spray coating film is compressive residual stress, which contributes to improving the fatigue strength characteristics. A hardened layer due to grit-blasting treatment is formed near the surface of the UT specimen, contributing to the improvement of the fatigue strength characteristics. Since the natural potential of Ti spray coating film is slightly higher than that of the base material, it exhibits excellent corrosion resistance; however, when physiological saline intrudes, a galvanic battery is formed and the base material corrodes preferentially.

Martensitic stainless steel is commonly used in the medical implant instrument. The alloy has drawbacks in terms of strength and wear properties when applied to instruments with sharp parts. 440C STS alloy, with improved durability, is an alternative to replace 420 J2 STS. In the present study, the carbide precipitation, and mechanical and corrosion properties of STS 440C alloy are studied as a function of different heat treatments. The STS 440C alloy is first austenitized at different temperatures; this is immediately followed by oil quenching and sub-zero treatment. After sub-zero treatment, the alloy is tempered at low temperatures. The microstructures of the heat treated STS 440C alloy consist of martensite and retained austenite and carbides. Using EDX and SADP with a TEM, the precipitated carbides are identified as a Cr23C6 carbide with a size of 1 to 2 μm. The hardness of STS 440C alloy is improved by austenitization at 1,100 oC with sub-zero treatment and tempering at 200 oC. The values of Ecorr and Icorr for STS 440C increase with austenitization temperature. Results can be explained by the dissolution of Cr-carbide and the increase in the retained austenite. Sub-zero treatment followed by tempering shows a little difference in the properties of potentiodynamic polarizations.

파이프 골조 온실의 내구성 증대를 위하여 4가지의 부식방지 처리를 한 파이프를 실험온실 내부에 설치하여 20년경과 후 표면부식 상태와 강도 변화 실험을 실시하였다. 대기 중에 노출된 지상부위에서 무처리 파이프는 강도가 1.3%정도 줄었지만 다른 처리와의 차이는 거의 없는 것으로 나타났다. 지하 매설부위에서 중방식 처리한 파이프의 강도는 0.6%정도 줄어 거의 변화가 없었으나 무처리는 15.7% 감소하는 것으로 나타났다. 그리고 방청 페인트나 아스팔트 도포는 4.2~4.4% 정도 감소하는 것으로 나타났다. 지상부위는 모든 시료에서 심한 부식상태를 보이지 않았다. 중방식 처리는 변화가 없었고, 방청페인트 처리도 녹은 발견되지 않고 약간의 변색만 있었다. 아스팔트 도포는 검게 변색되고 약간의 녹이 발견되었으며, 무처리는 표면의 20~30%정도가 녹슨 것으로 나타났다. 지하 매설부위 무처리 파이프의 경우에는 전체가 완전히 녹슬어 있었고, 아스팔트 도포한 파이프도 표면의 80~90%가 녹슬어 있었다. 방청페인트 처리는 20~30%정도 녹슬어 있었고, 중방식 처리는 거의 변화가 없었다. 중방식 처리는 지하 매설부위에서도 확실한 부식 방지 효과를 보이는 것을 확인할 수 있었고, 방청페인트 처리도 어느 정도 부식 방지 효과를 나타내고 있으므로 현장에 적용할 수 있을 것으로 판단된다.

Hot-press forming(HPF) steel can be applied successfully to auto parts because of its superior mechanical properties. However, its resistances to aqueous corrosion and the subsequent hydrogen embrittlement(HE) decrease significantly when the steel is exposed to corrosive environments. Considering that the resistances are greatly dependent on the properties of coating materials formed on the steel surface, the characteristics of the corrosion and hydrogen diffusion behaviors regarding the types of coating material should be clearly understood. Electrochemical polarization and impedance measurements reveal a higher corrosion potential and polarization resistance and a lower corrosion current of the Al-coating compared with Zn-coating. Furthermore, it was expected that the diffusion kinetics of the hydrogen atoms would be much slower in the Al-coating, and this would be due mainly to the much lower diffusion coefficient of hydrogen in the Al-coating with a face-centered cubic structure. The superior surface inhibiting effect of the Al-coating, however, is degraded by the formation of local cracks in the coated layer under severe stress conditions, and therefore further study will be necessary to gain a clearer understanding of the effect of cracks formed on the coated layer on the subsequent corrosion and hydrogen diffusion behaviors.

In this study, the long-term performance of FRP Hybrid Bar made by hybridizing FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) with ordinary reinforcing steel bars was experimentally examined as a part of the development of alternative materials for RC (reinforced concrete) structures especially located in marine or harbor areas. In order to evaluate the field exposure of the FRP Hybrid Bar, the specimen was prepared and the corrosion behavior was evaluated by letting the specimen exposed to the field conditions in the west coast of South Korea. The purpose of this study is to provide important data as a material countermeasure to reduce corrosion of reinforcing steel in future marine port concrete structures based on the results obtained through this study.

Evaluation of the durability and stability of materials used in power plants is of great importance because parts or components for turbines, heat exchangers and compressors are often exposed to extreme environments such as high temperature and pressure. In this work, high-temperature corrosion behavior of 316 L stainless steel in a carbon dioxide environment was studied to examine the applicability of a material for a supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle as the next generation power plant system. The specimens were exposed in a high-purity carbon dioxide environment at temperatures ranging from 500 to 800 oC during 1000 hours. The features of the corroded products were examined by optical microscope and scanning electron microscope, and the chemical compound was determined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that while the 316 L stainless steel had good corrosion resistance in the range of 500-700 oC in the carbon dioxide environment, the corrosion resistance at 800 oC was very poor due to chipping the corroded products off, which resulted in a considerable loss in weight.

This study investigated the surface pit corrosion of SS420J2 stainless steel accompanied by intergranular crack. To reveal the causes of surface pits and cracks, OM, SEM, and TEM analyses of the microstructures of the utilized SS420J2 were performed, as was simulated heat treatment. The intergranular cracks were found to have been induced by a grain boundary carbide of (Cr,Fe)23C6, which was identified by SEM/EDS and TEM diffraction analyses. The mechanism of grain boundary sensitization occurred at the position of the carbide, followed by its occurrence at the Cr depleted zone. The grain boundary carbide of (Cr,Fe)23C6 type precipitated during air cooling condition after a 1038 °C solid solution treatment. The carbide precipitate formation also accelerated at the band structure formed by cold working. Therefore, using manufacturing processes of cooling and cold working, it is difficult to protect SS420J2 stainless steel against surface pit corrosion. Several counter plans to fight pit corrosion by sensitization were suggested, involving alloying and manufacturing processes.

In this study, we investigated the effect of the residual carbides and tempered carbides precipitated by tempering treatment after quenching on the pitting corrosion of mod. 440A martensitic stainless steel. In quenched specimens and tempered specimens after quenching of mod. 440A martensitic stainless steel, the volume fraction of the residual carbides and total carbides decreased with the increase of the austenitizing temperature. Pitting resistance increased with the increase of austenitizing temperature. With the increase of the volume fraction of the residual and total carbides, the pitting resistance of mod. 440A martensitic stainless steel was decreased. The pitting resistance of mod. 0.5C-17Cr-0.5Ni 440A martensitic stainless steel had stronger affected by residual carbides than precipitated carbides produced by tempering.

In this work, on-site corrosion behavior of heat resistant tubes of T91, used as components of a superheater in a power plant for up to 25,762 h, has been investigated using scanning electron microscopy(SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and electron backscattered diffraction(EBSD), with the objectives of studying the composition, phase distribution, and evolution during service. A multi-layer structure of oxide scale was found on both the steamside and the fireside of the tube surface; the phase distribution was in the order of hematite/magnetite/spinel from the outer to the inner matrix on the steamside, and in the order of slag/magnetite/spinel from the outer to the inner matrix on the fireside. The magnetite layer was found to be rich in pores and cracks. The absence of a hematite layer on the fireside was considered to be due to the low oxygen partial pressure in the corrosion environment. The thicknesses of the hematite and of the slag-deposit layer were found to exhibit no significant change with the increase of the service time.

As wrought stainless steel, sintered stainless steel (STS) has excellent high-temperature anti-corrosion even at high temperature of 800ºC and exhibit corrosion resistance in air. The oxidation behavior and oxidation mechanism of the sintered 316L stainless was reported at the high temperature in our previous study. In this study, the effects of additives on high-temperature corrosion resistances were investigated above 800ºC at the various oxides (SiO2, Al2O3, MgO and Y2O3) added STS respectively as an oxidation inhibitor. The morphology of the oxide layers were observed by SEM and the oxides phase and composition were confirmed by XRD and EDX. As a result, the weight of STS 316L sintered body increased sharply at 1000oC and the relative density of specimen decreased as metallic oxide addition increased. Compared with STS 316L sintered parts, weight change ratio corresponding to different oxidation time at 900oC and 1000oC, decreased gradually with the addition of metallic oxide. The best corrosion resistance properties of STS could be improved in case of using Y2O3. The oxidation rate was diminished dramatically by suppression the peeling on oxide layers at Y2O3 added sintered stainless steel.

In this study, nitrogen ions were implanted into STS 316L austenitic stainless steel by plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) to improve the corrosion resistance. The implantation of nitrogen ions was performed with bias voltages of −5, −10, −15, and −20 kV. The implantation time was 240 min and the implantation temperature was kept at room temperature. With nitrogen implantation, the corrosion resistance of 316 L improved in comparison with that of the bare steel. The effects of nitrogen ion implantation on the electrochemical corrosion behavior of the specimen were investigated by the potentiodynamic polarization test, which was conducted in a 0.5 M H2SO4 solution at 70 oC. The phase evolution and texture caused by the nitrogen ion implantation were analyzed by an X-ray diffractometer. It was demonstrated that the samples implanted at lower bias voltages, i.e., 5 kV and 10 kV, showed an expanded austenite phase, γN, and strong (111) texture morphology. Those samples exhibited a better corrosion resistance.

일반적인 3-전극 시스템의 순환전압전류법을 사용하여 유기부식억제제인 트리에탄올아민 (TEA)을 첨가하여 SCM440 강에 대한 전류-전압 곡선을 측정하였다. 그 결과 SCM440 강의 C-V특성 은 순환전압전류법으로부터 산화전류에 기인한 비가역 공정으로 나타났다. 확산계수는 부식억제제 TEA 의 농도를 2.5 x 10-4 M에서 5,0 x 10-4 M로 2배로 증가시킴에 따라 확산계수는 각각 2.561 x 10-6 cm2s-1에서 1.707 x 10-6 cm2s-1로 1.5배로 감소하므로 부식억제효과가 좋음을 알 수 있었다. 그리고 전 해질 농도변화에 따르는 효과는 전해질 농도를 0.5 N에서 1.0 N로 증가시키면, 확산계수는 각각 5.12 x 10-6 cm2s-1에서 2.56 x 10-6 cm2s-1로 2배로 감소하므로 1.0 N의 전해질의 사용이 적합하였다.

In this study, we investigated the precipitation behavior of the R-phase precipitated at the initial stage of aging and its effect on the pitting corrosion of 25%Cr-7%Ni-4%Mo super duplex stainless steel. The R-phase in super duplex stainless steel was mainly precipitated at the interface of ferrite/austenite phases and inside of the ferrite phase during the initial stage of aging, and it was transformed into the σ-phase with an increase in aging time. The ferrite phase was decomposed into a new austenite phase and σ-phase. The R phase was an intermetallic compound, which represented a lower Ni and higher Mo than the matrix, and also had a higher Mo and Cr concentration than the σ phase. With an increasing aging time, the pitting potential Ep was increased slowly by the precipitation of the R-phase, and it was then steeply decreased by the precipitation of the σ-phase. The R-phase was decreased the pitting potential, but its effect was smaller than effect of σ-phase.

The coastal area of Republic of Korea is very clean compared to other countries. In this reason, west coastal area of our country is a good place for breeding up a fish such as shrimp. In winter season, the heating system is required for preventing shrimp death caused by freezing in the farm. The heater in the heating system for fishery's farm is operated very severe combating corrosion due to high accumulation by feeding material and high temperature in heated sea water. Almost all manufactured heaters of STS 316L and Ti material are scrapped every year due to heavy corrosion such a general and crevice corrosion. For comparing the general and galvanic corrosion in new heater material, the test material of Zirconium (Zr), Titanium (Ti) and STS 316L are tested by potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), current density-time methods and microscopic examination in a 3.5% NaCl solution. The corrosion potential (Ecor) measured by potentiodynamic polarization for Zr, Ti and STS 316L reveals -198, -250 and -450mV, corrosion current density 0.5, 2.5 and 6.5μA/cm2 respectively. The film resistance measured by EIS are Zr 63,000, Ti 39,700 and 316L 3,150Ω, and the current of Zr-Ti couple is 0.03μA, whereas Zr-316L SS is 0.1μA. According to the result of this experiment in 3.5% NaCl solution, Zr is excellent corrosion resistance material than Ti and STS 316L.

Coatings composited with alumina and Perfluoro alkoxyalkane (PFA) resin were deposited on stainless steel plate (SUS304) to further improve corrosion resistance. Plate (ca. 10μm) and/or nanosize (27~43 nm) alumina used as inorganic additives were mixed in PFA resin to make alumina-fluoro composite coatings. These coatings were deposited on SUS304 plate with wet spray coating and then the film was cured thermally. According to the amount and ratio of the two kinds of alumina having plate morphology and nano size, corrosion resistance of the film was evaluated under strong acids (HF, HCl) and a strong base (NaOH). The film prepared with the addition of 5~10 wt% alumina powders in PFA resin showed corrosion resistance superior to that of pure PFA resin film. However, for the film prepared with alumina content above 10 wt%, the corrosion resistance did not improve with the physical properties, such as surface hardness and adhesion. The film prepared with plate/nanosize (weight ratio = 1/2) alumina especially enhanced the surface hardness and corrosion resistance. This can be explained as showing that the plate and the nanosize alumina dispersed in PFA resin effectively suppressed the penetration of cations and anions due to the long penetration length and fewer defects that accompany the improved surface hardness under a serious environment of 10% HF solution for over 120 hrs.