Electrochemical Characteristics of Superaustenitic Stainless Steel with Temperature in Sea Water

In this investigation, the electrochemical characteristics of superaustenitic and general austenitic stainless steels were compared by conducting potentiodynamic polarization experiment with varying temperatures in natural seawater solution. From the result of the potentiodynamic polarization experiment, the corrosion rate of UNS S31603 was found to be 17 times faster than that of UNS N08367 under the most severe corrosion conditions. The relationship between the corrosion rate by maximum damage depth and the corrosion rate by the corrosion current density was expressed as alpha value for each stainless steel. The alpha value of UNS S31603 under all temperature conditions was higher than that of UNS N08367 under similar conditions. This means that UNS S31603 is more prone to localized corrosion than UNS N08367. UNS S31603 expressed pitting type damages under all temperature conditions as shown by SEM analysis results. The pitting damage rapidly grew at the relatively poor grain boundaries. Damage on UNS N08367 was not clearly represented at 30 degrees C and 60 degrees C, and slight intergranular corrosion damage was observed on the entire surface at 90 degrees C.