Corrosion Performance of Galvanized Steel in Na₂SO₄ and NaCl Solutions at Subfreezing Temperatures

The early failures of steel-reinforced structures in cold regions have raised concerns about the understanding of the corrosion performance of galvanized steel. This paper focuses on the effect of temperature variation on the corrosion performance of galvanized steel. Samples were immersed in solutions containing sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄) and sodium chloride (NaCl) to simulate the aggressive conditions found in soils and ground water. Corrosion rates were measured using potentiodynamic polarization at temperatures ranging from −5°C to 25°C. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to study the performance of the zinc coating under the different conditions.