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Stainless steel has been found to exhibit passivity in dilute nitric acid at
300C. The rate of corrosion for passive conditions is unaffected by
increase in temperature or small quantities of oxidising ions, but is
increased in the presence of 10 g./I. of uranium. Corrosion in the vapour
phase was found to be insignificant, though severe corrosion occurs at the
vapour-liquid interface. A weight-loss technique has been used for the
bulk of the determinations, but an alternative electrochemical method of
investigating the corrosion has been studied with encouraging results.
steels towards mineral acids has re- cases the graph was markedly curved
ceived considerable attention.1-6 Past and extrapolation of the linear portions
investigations have, with few excep- was necessary.
tions,1 been made at temperatures up The results obtained using the
to the boiling points of the acids con- weight-loss technique exhibited such
cerned and usually at relatively high a high degree of scatter that a large
acid concentrations. Modern industry number of determinations was re-
now needs materials capable of con- quired. An investigation at one acid
taining fairly concentrated solutions of concentration for corrosion times up
heavy metal salts plus the dilute acid to 600 to 700 hr. involved a total
required to prevent their hydrolysis. experimental time of the order of
This is of particular current interest 5,000 hr. It was considered that the
in connection with the proposed design scatter may to some extent be due to
of homogeneous aqueous nuclear re- galvanic effects caused by the contact
actors. Moreover, such solutions are occurring between the test specimen
frequently at temperatures greatly in and platinum container. However,
excess of their boiling points and are experiments were made in which the
accompanied by the corresponding most stringent precautions were taken
steam pressures. to prevent such contact and no.
An investigation has been made of improvement in the reproducibility
the corrosion resistance of 18-8 stain- was observed. Two alternative tech-
less steel to nitric acid over the con- niques were tried in an effort to obtain
were generated without diluting the more reliable results more quickly.
centration range 0.01 to 1.4% at 300C. acid.
and 350C. A corroded specimen was dark The first, which proved unsuccess-
brown in colour and its surface rough ful, involved measuring the change in
EXPERIMENTAL to the touch. It had suffered no loss high-frequency conductance of a very
Initial experiments were carried out in weight, and the corrosion product fine wire of the material. Similar
using a weight-loss method. This was insoluble in either concentrated methods have been used successfully
involved the corrosion of small, rect- phosphoric acid or sulphuric acid at lower temperatures and higher acid
angular, stainless-steel specimens hav- inhibited with paratoluylthiourea. concentrations. An autoclave having
ing areas of approximately 3 sq. cm., Moreover, it could not be removed electrically insulated internal elec-
which were suspended in acid con- satisfactorily by the standard cathodic trodes which projected via pressure
tained in a cylindrical platinum beaker defilming method using inhibited seals through the lid was employed.
of 22-ml. capacity. A tight-fitting 5% sulphuric acid. It was not brittle Using this autoclave, which main-
platinum cap enclosed each beaker, a and was unaffected by wire brushes, tained a temperature of 3002C,
hole 0.5 mm. in diam. being drilled but could be removed by abrasion and a megacycle transformer ratio
through each cap to ensure pressure using a polishing machine and a arm bridge the conductivity of a fine
equilibrium. The beakers were placed domestic metal polish. Fig. 1 shows stainless-steel wire immersed in 1.4%
in a 1-in. autoclave which in turn was the variation in weight of a cor- nitric acid was examined. However,
connected to a high-pressure apparatus roded and an uncorroded stainless- the conductivity varied very little
equipped with a gauge, bursting disc steel specimen on polishing. It is with time and apparently in a random
and valve. Each autoclave was heated evident that a fairly reliable value for manner, so that this method was
by a 1.2-kw. nichrome resistance wind- the weight of the uncorroded residue finally abandoned in favour of the
ing, a small quantity of water being technique described below.
included in the body of the autoclave * Battersea College of Technology, Young7 has successfully estimated
in order to ensure that steam pressures London. the growth of oxide films on metal
Materials
The stainless steel was supplied in
rod form by Messrs. Firth Brown's
research laboratories in Sheffield, Eng-
land. Spectrographic analysis showed
the presence of trace quantities of
aluminium, copper and manganese.
The acid used was prepared by
diluting Harrington's ' p u r e ' reagent
and standardising against sodium car-
bonate.
All salts used were B.D.H. AnalaR
reagent grade.
Acknowledgment
Thanks are extended to the United
Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
for a grant and the provision of most
of the apparatus used in this investi-
gation.