Corrosion Basics

Understanding the basic principles and causes of corrosion

Corrosion Testing and Monitoring

M
etals and their nomically, efficiently, durably, or safely Laboratory tests provide indications of
than commonly used materials. Quality- what can happen in actual practice; how-
alloys are used ever, the time required for an “indication”
control corrosion tests are also a means
in a multitude of ensuring that the materials have the depends on the purpose and nature of the
of changing capabilities expected of them. tests. Laboratory corrosion tests gener-
Corrosion-testing programs can be ally are conducted over a period of time
conditions, and relatively simple, able to be completed ranging from a few minutes to as long as a
corrosion failures are not in a few minutes or hours; or they can be year or more. Experimental accelerators,
complex, requiring the combined work of such as increased temperature or higher
uncommon. The limited pre-
a number of investigators over a period concentrations of chemicals, must be
dictability of metal perfor- of weeks, months, or years. interpreted with great care because they
mance is the main reason Because the process of corrosion is may change the fundamental corrosion
highly time-dependent, the integration of behavior being investigated.
why corrosion tests and cor- corrosion-monitoring technology in exist-
rosion-monitoring programs ing systems can also provide early warning Field Tests
of costly corrosion damage and provide Field tests can be much closer to end
are so important. Properly
information on locations where damage use than the usual laboratory tests and
conducted, these tests can is occurring or possibly could occur. normally range in duration from several
provide significant savings. In months to many years. Some tests have
Corrosion Testing been conducted for more than 50 years
many cases, they are built-in Corrosion tests are divided into two at well-established outdoor facilities. Field
requirements. broad categories: (a) tests made in the tests may consist of exposure to corrosive
Corrosion can lead to failures in plant laboratory under controlled conditions conditions in natural environments,
infrastructure and machines that can be and (b) tests made in the field under particular industrial applications, and
costly in terms of repair, lost or contami- natural or service conditions. particular substances.
nated product, environmental damage, Corrosion tests may be further sub-
and, ultimately, personnel safety. Deci- Laboratory Controlled Tests divided according to their basic objec-
sions regarding the future integrity of Tests in the laboratory are made with tives, which in turn depend on the types
a structure or its components depend pure chemicals, or specific combinations of environments and test durations that
entirely upon an accurate assessment of of chemicals, under closely controlled interest an investigator. It is always criti-
the conditions affecting corrosion and the conditions. Each test should be reproduc- cal to follow the scientific method, which
rate of deterioration. ible under a fixed set of conditions and often requires a large series of tests with a
Proper assessment of corrosion risk is durations. An assessment of this repro- single parameter varied in each one.
the foundation of material selection. This ducibility is especially important when a
aspect of component design can avoid new test method is used or when a new
This article is adapted by MP
using materials under unsuitable condi- alloy or fabricated item is evaluated. If
Editorial Advisory Board Member
tions or using a more expensive material reproducible conditions can be achieved,
than is required. Accurate evaluation of then differences in data truly reflect a Norm Moriber from Corrosion
environments and service conditions, difference in the resistance to corrosion Basics—An Introduction, Second
together with corrosion resistance of al- of the materials being tested and the in- Edition, Pierre R. Roberge, ed.
loys, may also lead to the development vestigator knows if an improvement has (Houston, TX: NACE International,
of new materials that perform more eco- been made. 2006), p. 583-588.

80 MATERIALS PERFORMANCE March 2008

March 2008 MP.indd 80 2/11/08 12:11:57 PM