Comparison of corrosion mechanisms of 510L low alloy steel treated by ACS and EPS techniques under various service environments

The corrosion mechanism of 510L low alloy steel treated by acid-cleaned surface (ACS) and eco-pickled surface (EPS) techniques in three simulated solutions (S0: atmospheric environment; S1: soil environment; S2: industrial environment) and the influence of interaction between different corrosive anions on corrosion were investigated. The results show that the total corrosion rates of samples in three simulated solutions were in order of S2 > S0 > S1, which is simultaneously correlated with initial corrosion dissolution processes as well as after the formation of corrosion products. HCO3−will inhibit the initial corrosion owing to the formation of films, whereas HSO3−will accelerate the dissolutions of the matrix based on the synergistic action of HSO3−and Cl−. On the other hand, there is no significant difference in corrosion rates between the samples treated by ACS and EPS techniques. The EPS technique that is safe, reusable and environmentally friendly can be further widely used in future work.