Regularities of Stress-Corrosion Cracking of Pipe Steel 09G2S at Cathodic Polarization in a Model Soil Environment

Peculiarities of corrosion-mechanical fracture of 09G2S pipe steel samples in the conditions of cathodic protection were investigated. It was established that depending on the level of protective potential, stress-corrosion cracking of pipe steel of a ferrite-pearlite class 09G2S can occur by different mechanisms. The range of protective potentials was determined, at which the anodic dissolution and hydrogen embrittlement occur simultaneously during the fracture of steel, namely from -0.85 V to -1.0 V. The existence of the above mechanisms is confirmed by the change in the strength and viscosity properties of the steel and the morphology of the fractures. For steels of other manufacturing technology and grades, these potential areas may differ.

ЗАКОНОМІРНОСТІ КОРОЗІЙНОГО РОЗТРІСКУВАННЯ ТРУБНОЇ СТАЛІ 10Г2ФБ У МОДЕЛЬНОМУ ГРУНТОВОМУ СЕРЕДОВИЩІ ЗА КАТОДНОЇ ПОЛЯРИЗАЦІЇ

Purpose. Investigate the regularities of corrosion cracking of 10G2FB steel under cathodic protection.Methodology. The following methods were used: slow strain rate, scanning electron microscopy, electrolytic hydrogenation, mass measurement.Results. The regularities of corrosion cracking of pipe steel 10G2FB in near neutral soil environment NS4 in the range of potentials from the corrosion potential to -1.2 V were investigated. According to the results of a complex of corrosion-mechanical, electrochemical and physical studies, it was found that with a shift in the cathodic polarization potential in the range of -0,75 V ® -0,95 V ® -1,05 V ® -1,2 V ® -0.95 V the coefficient of susceptibility of this steel to stress corrosion cracking KS increases correspondingly, 1,09 ® 1,11 ® 1,13 ® 1,26. The concentration of hydrogen which penetrating into steel at these potentials changes nonmonotonically: 0 ® 0 ® 0,057 ® 0,018 mol/dm3. The rate of residual corrosion with a potential shift in the series Еcor ® -0,75 V ® -0,95 V ® -1,05 V decreases first sharply, then slowly: 0.035 mm/year ® 0.005 mm/year ® 0.0009 mm/year ® 0.0004 mm/year, i.e. at high cathodic potentials, the applied polarization is spent on the decomposition of the aqueous electrolyte with the release of hydrogen, which penetrates into the steel and causes brittle cracking, which is confirmed by an increasing in the part of brittle fracture in the surface morphology of the specimens.Scientific originality. New results of fundamental research concerning the regularities of stress-corrosion cracking of ferrite-pearlite class steel of pipe assortment 10G2FB under conditions of cathodic protection in the range of potentials from the corrosion potential to -1.2 V have been obtained. It was revealed that a feature of the effect of cathodic polarization in the indicated range of potentials when assessing the tendency to stress corrosion cracking by the KS coefficient is an increasing in the relative narrowing and a decrease in the relative elongation, which generally indicates the embrittlement of the metal under the contact with corrosive medium and potential. Strength characteristics remain almost the same. The greatest tendency to stress-corrosion cracking is observed at a polarization potential of -1.0 V or more negative.Practical value. The developed methodology for a complex study of the regularities of stress- corrosion cracking was used for study of 10G2FB steel of the pipe assortment in a model soil environment NS4 under conditions simulating operating conditions. The new data obtained on the regularities of stress-corrosion cracking of steel will be useful for preventing the stress-corrosion cracking of main gas pipelines during operation.

Development of Electrochemical Surface Treatment to Visualize Critical Corrosion-Inducing Inclusions of Zr in Chloride Environments

An electrochemical surface treatment was developed to visualize the corrosion-inducing inclusions of Zr in chloride environments. Pure Zr and Zr alloy (Zr-0.5O-0.5C) were evaluated in this study. The electrochemical surface treatment consisted of repeated galvanostatic anodic polarization and potentiostatic cathodic polarization. After the electrochemical surface treatment, only one brittle and non-conductive shell of Zr oxide was observed at the corrosion initiation site on the tested surface. The corrosion-inducing inclusions were found inside the corrosion pit under the optimum polarization conditions. At the corrosion initiation site on pure Zr, the area inside the corrosion pit contained larger amounts of O, C, and Si than the surrounding matrix. In the case of the Zr-0.5O-0.5C alloy, relatively larger inclusions were observed after the treatment. Extremely large amounts of Si, together with O and C, were present in the inclusions. The inclusions that induced localized corrosion on the pure Zr and Zr-0.5O-0.5C specimens were found to be precipitated, involving the specific aggregation of Si. The surface treatment developed in this study is expected to be utilized as a powerful tool to elucidate the localized corrosion mechanism of Zr in chloride environments.

Deeper insight into FAC corrosion mechanism

Purpose This study aims to reveal the differential concentration corrosion (DCC) mechanism, which has been ignored by researchers for a long time. Design/methodology/approach The ionic conductive layer near the pipe wall was extracted and discretized. In the case of DCC, the equations of corrosion potential after polarization in units are derived according to Kirchhoff’s Law. By solving these equations, the corrosion potential and current on situation of DCC are calculated. Findings DCC can change origin distribution of (nature) potential and current greatly; it will cause polarization. The positions with original lower corrosion potential will produce anodic polarization; meanwhile, the speed of corrosion also increases; the position with original higher corrosion potential will produce cathodic polarization, and the corrosion current is also decreased. Generally speaking, the potential will be homogenized by DCC mechanism. Originality/value This model makes an in-depth analysis of the traditional FAC theory, greatly supplements it and enriches the theory.

NIOBIUM’S BEHAVIOR IN AQUEOUS HYDRO­FLUORIC ACID SOLUTION

Thanks to the unique combination of physicochemical properties, niobium and its compounds are widely used in various fields of science and technology. The main areas of niobium’s applications are the production of superconductors, nuclear energy, chemical engineering, metallurgy, manufacture of optically active materials, thin-film lithium batte­ries, fuel cells. The aim of this work is to study the processes that take place on the niobium electrode in aqueous solutions of hydrofluoric acid, as well as to establish the composition of niobium compounds that are formed. The paper presents the results of studies the behavior of the niobium electrode in aqueous solutions 0.25 N. hydrofluoric acid. The kinetic para­meters of the processes occurring at the phase boundary are determined. It was found that the anodic polarization of the niobium electrode is accompanied by the formation of a passive layer, the destruction of which is facilitated by increasing the polarization potential and fluorine anions, in the presence of which complex fluoroiobate anions [NbF7]2- and [NbOF5]2-are formed. Cathodic polarization of niobium is accompanied by the formation of hydrides on its surface, which causes an increase in the overvoltage of hydrogen evolution. The anodic polarization of the niobium electrode in a solution of hydrofluoric acid causes the formation on its surface of a passive layer, which is destroyed with increasing potential. In the Nbo–NbO2–0.25 –0.25 n HF system, [NbF7]2-anions are formed, as evidenced by bands in the region of 500 nm on the electron absorption spectra. The rate constants of [NbF7]2- and [NbOF5]2- formation are estimated at 3.78 • 10-3 s-1 and 5.18 • 10-3 s-1, respectively. The reduction of hydrogen at the niobium cathode from a solution of hydrofluoric acid is accompanied by the formation of hydrides, which causes an increase in the overvoltage of hydrogen evolution and high values of the angular coefficients of the Tafel dependence.

Facile Detection of Vitamin B12 with Copper Oxide Nanocrystal Graphenic Composite Electrode

Vitamin B12 (VB12) is applied as the cofactors in various important enzymatic reactions and is involved in gene expression regulation mediated by B12-riboswitch and the VB12-dependent photoreceptor. Rapid detection VB12 concertation in a given environment may provide insights in the evaluation of micronutrient levels and the physiological and ecological performances of organisms under the relevant condition. This study demonstrating an amperometric approach to quantify the VB12 in biological samples without complicated sample pretreatment. The electrochemical oxidation step was conducted with a plain graphenic electrode to convert all nitrogen groups within the VB12 molecules to NO3− at 1.3 V vs. Ag/AgCl for 15 min. VB12 was quantified stoichiometrically according to the oxidized nitrate anions, which were reduced with copper oxide nanocrystal decorated graphenic electrode. Cathodic polarization was conducted with a graphite rod electrode before nitrate reduction to eliminate the potential interferences. Under optimized experimental conditions, the presented approach gave a wide detection linear range of 0.15–7378 nmol L−1 and the detection limit was 0.59 nmol L−1. The results for biological samples were comparable to those of the HPLC method. These results indicated that successively combined anodic and cathodic polarization enhanced the detection sensitivity and efficiency of the electrode towards VB12. The proposed electrode shows potential in terms of efficiency, reliability and accuracy for rapid determination of VB12 in biological samples.