Effects of impurities in sulfuric acid on the corrosion resistance of zirconium

Conference · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · Am. Soc. Test. Mater., Spec. Tech. Publ.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6343941

Yau, T L

Zirconium is one of the few metals that resists attack by sulfuric acid (H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/) up to 75% concentration. It is being frequently used to handle the acid in the difficult concentration range of 40 to 60%. However, due to environmental concerns, the dumping and the storage of H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ wastes have become a problem. Contaminated H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ is involved in many processes. The purpose of this investigation is a more precise characterization on the effects of impurities on the corrosion resistance of zirconium. Corrosion behavior of zirconium alloys in H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ with common detrimental impurities, that is, Fe/sup +3/, Cu/sup +2/, Cl/sup -/, NO/sup -//sub 3/, and seawater, has been investigated. It has been found that Zr 702 and Zr 704 can tolerate a larger amount of impurities than Zr 705. Welds of zirconium alloys are susceptible to local corrosion in contaminated H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/. However, the local corrosion of welds can be easily avoided by a proper heat treatment. For our corrosion tests, the heat treatment was performed at 760/sup 0/C for 15 min. The performance of passivated Zr 702 and Zr 705 under a simulated upset condition, for example boiling 74% H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/, has been studied. It has been found that Zr 702 can withstand the upset conditions without significant attack up to 20 min, but Zr 705 will corrode immediately and rapidly.

• Research Organization: Teledyne Wah Chang Albany, Albany, OR
• OSTI ID: 6343941
• Report Number(s): CONF-820955-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Am. Soc. Test. Mater., Spec. Tech. Publ.; (United States) Journal Volume: STP-830
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360105* -- Metals & Alloys-- Corrosion & Erosion
ALLOYS
BOILING
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COPPER COMPOUNDS
CORROSION RESISTANCE
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
CORROSIVE EFFECTS
DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
FERRIMAGNETIC MATERIALS
FERRITES
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IMPURITIES
INORGANIC ACIDS
IRON COMPOUNDS
MAGNETIC MATERIALS
MATERIALS
MATERIALS TESTING
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PASSIVATION
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
SEAWATER
SULFURIC ACID
TESTING
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
WATER
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS