Steel Pitting Corrosion Analysis, Using a High Vaccum Epoxy Penetration Technique

Gerardo Zavala Olivares, Mónica J. Hernández Gayosso, Rafael García Esquivel

Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo, College of San Bartolo Atepehuacan, México City, México; 2Petroleos Mexicanos Gas y Petroquímica Básica, Subdirección de Ductos, College of Huasteca, México City, México.

DOI: 10.4236/msa.2013.41002                

Abstract

An epoxy penetration technique was used to reproduce and analyze the pitting corrosion process occurred at a steel coupon surface. The samples were exposed to the resin under high vacuum conditions, in order to fulfill the pits caused by the corrosion process. With this technique, a 3D image of the corrosion damages was obtained. Once the image of the damaged surface was obtained, a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used to analyze the morphology of the pits exhibited by the steel sample. The results were satisfactory, as different parameters such as the diameter, shape and depth of the pits originated, along with the corrosion preferential path, could be established. According to the results, the use of the epoxy penetration technique may be considered as alternating pitting corrosion analysis technique.

Keywords

Pitting Corrosion Analysis; Epoxy Injection

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

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