Technical Note: The Effect of Cation on the Corrosion of Carbon and Stainless Steels in Differing Chloride Environments

It is well understood that in the evaluation of the corrosion of metals, it is appropriate to use solutions retrieved from the system of interest. The use of such solutions is limited by, among others:¹  (a) inadequate quantity of electrolyte to carry out the intended study, (b) improper control of the deleterious ionic species, and (c) the possibility of irreversible chemical changes occurring in the solution during transportation and storage. Since the elucidation of the mechanisms governing any corrosion process may be studied using electrochemical techniques, such investigations must be carried out under carefully controlled and reproducible conditions. These conditions can realistically be achieved only in the laboratory where reconstituted electrolytes are used to simulate the “actual” field conditions. In laboratory corrosion studies, the test electrolyte is usually obtained by analyzing field samples and accurately determining the concentration of the relevant ions using appropriate techniques. This is followed by...