Corrosion of Stainless Steel Damstahl（腐蚀的不锈钢 Damstahl）.pdf

Corrosion of Stainless Steel Types of Corrosion, Alloying Elements and Environmental Conditions www.damstahl.dk Damstahl - a member of the NEUMO Ehrenberg-Group Corrosion of Stainless Steel Types of Corrosion, Alloying Elements and Environmental Conditions With regard to corrosion, stainless steel is a very smart group of metals. The excellent corrosion resis- tance combined with a (still!) affordable price has made stainless steel the most frequently used group of metals within critical sectors such as the food and pharmaceutical industries as well as the chemi- cal industry. The excellent corrosion resistance of stainless steel is caused by a very thin layer of oxides in particu- lar chromium and iron oxides, and despite a thickness of only a few nanometers, this oxide layer is so strong that it effectively isolates the steel from the environment. Should the oxide layer suffer from a breakdown, it is quickly regenerated, and the corrosion protection is re-established. Unfortunately, this ideal scenario does not always take place; the oxide layer may be damaged with- out repassivating, and the sad result may be serious corrosion. Once the corrosion has started, rapid penetration may occur causing the stainless steel to be a very short-lived construction material. The difference in between the two extremes is sometimes very small: If repassivation takes place, corro- sion is prevented and, theoretically, the steel may last forever. If not, severe corrosion may take place, and the life-span of the equipment may be very, very short. Generel korrosion Interkrystallinsk General Corrosion Intergranular Corrosion Pitting Corrosion Crevice Corrosion