Localized corrosion of low-carbon steel at the nanoscale
Abstract Mitigating corrosion remains a daunting challenge due to localized, nanoscale corrosion events that are poorly understood but are known to cause unpredictable variations in material longevity. Here, the most recent advances in liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy were employed to capture the advent of localized aqueous corrosion in carbon steel at the nanoscale and in real time. Localized corrosion initiated at a triple junction formed by a solitary cementite grain and two ferrite grains and then continued at the electrochemically-active boundary between these two phases. With this analysis, we identified facetted pitting at the phase boundary, uniform corrosion rates from the steel surface, and data that suggest that a re-initiating galvanic corrosion mechanism is possible in this environment. These observations represent an important step toward atomically defining nanoscale corrosion mechanisms, enabling the informed development of next-generation inhibition technologies and the improvement of corrosion predictive models.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25396; NA0003525
- OSTI ID:
- 1619703
- Report Number(s):
- SAND2019--1799J; 17; PII: 78
- Journal Information:
- npj Materials Degradation, Journal Name: npj Materials Degradation Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 3; ISSN 2397-2106
- Publisher:
- Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United Kingdom
- Language:
- English
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