Corrosion

Definition of Corrosion

Corrosion is defined as a refined metal that is naturally converted to a more stable form such as its hydroxide or sulphide state. Metal corrodes when it reacts with another substance such as oxygen, hydrogen or bacteria. Corrosion can also happen when metals are placed under too much stress causing the material to crack. Corrosion leads to deterioration of the material.

Stainless steel is highly corrosion resistant, making it suitable for use in environments where exposure to moisture, chemicals, or harsh conditions such as salt water is expected.

In this section you can find newsitems related to all types of corrosion such as stress corrosion cracking, intergranular corrosion, pitting, and corrosion fatigue. If you wish to include your news release on our website and email newsletter, please feel free to contact the editor.

Supermartensitic Stainless Steels 2002

Given the attention supermartensitic stainless steels have attracted in the past five years, it was not surprising that Supermartensitic Stainless Steels 2002, the second conference solely dedicated to supermartensitics, was well visited.

Super duplex pump

The Port Klang Power Station in Malaysia routinely faced "unacceptable" costs associated with downtime on their existing pumps.

Forth Welding & Cladding Services

Scottish company Forth Tool & Valve Ltd (FTV) has re-entered the weld cladding industry with the recent opening of Forth Welding & Cladding Services (FWC).

Corrocean moves

CorrOcean srl, the Italian office of CorrOcean, the supplier of corrosion monitoring services, has moved to a new address.

Titanium seminar

The TIG will be holding a one-day seminar entitled "So you want to make it in titanium?" at Austincourt, Birmingham, UK, on 16 October 2002.

Titanium for Goro project

Allegheny Technologies (ATI) will supply all wrought product forms made of the specialised Titanium Grade 28 to be used in Inco Ltd's Goro mining project pressure acid leaching heat exchanger system.

“Endless” pipe system

FLEXWELL-LPG Piping has produced a flexible, "endless" pipe system for buried automotive LPG piping installations at service stations. The system’s innovative feature is a flexible, "endless" metallic piping system made of stainless steel with simple mechanical joints.

Nickel-based valves

A resource is now available for end-users who require quick delivery of corrosion-resistant nickel-based valves.

Section 201 exclusions

The US Department of Commerce and the Office of the United States Trade Representative have announced the release of the final set of products to be excluded from the Section 201 safeguard measure on steel products.

Sandvik supplies duplex to W. Africa

Sandvik Steel has received orders for nearly half a million metres of duplex stainless steel tubing, for hydraulic and chemical injection lines for subsea umbilical cables, for ExxonMobil's Kizomba project and the Zafiro project, both in West Africa.


Corrosion can be a big problem because it can cause significant damage and deterioration to various materials, particularly metals. We have listed below several reasons why corrosion is a significant concern:

Structural Integrity: Corrosion weakens the structural integrity of materials. When metals corrode, they lose their strength and load-bearing capacity, which can lead to failures and collapses in infrastructure, buildings, bridges, pipelines, and other critical structures.

Economic Impact: Corrosion imposes substantial economic costs. The direct expenses associated with corrosion include repairs, replacements, and maintenance of corroded structures and equipment. Additionally, there are indirect costs such as production losses, decreased efficiency, and increased energy consumption due to the effects of corrosion on industrial processes and machinery.

Environmental Consequences: Corrosion can have adverse environmental effects. For example, in the case of pipelines, corrosion can lead to leaks and spills of hazardous substances, causing soil and water pollution and damaging ecosystems.

Health and Safety Risks: Corrosion can create health and safety risks in various ways. For instance, when corrosion affects pipelines or storage tanks carrying toxic substances, it can lead to leaks or releases that endanger the health of workers, communities, and the environment.

Maintenance and Downtime: Corrosion necessitates regular maintenance and inspection programs to detect and mitigate its effects. This requires significant time, effort, and financial resources. Additionally, when corrosion-related issues arise, it often requires shutting down operations, causing downtime and productivity losses.

Given these reasons, it is crucial to understand and address corrosion through preventive measures, protective coatings, corrosion-resistant materials, regular inspections and testing (ASTM B117), and appropriate maintenance practices to mitigate its impact and ensure the longevity and safety of structures and equipment.