One of the major reasons why fuel-grade ethanol (FGE) is not currently transported by pipeline is its contribution to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of carbon steel. Collaborative efforts have been made by several research groups to understand the mechanism of this SCC and to devise methods of protecting carbon steel from this environmentally assisted cracking. The focus of this paper is to discuss the effects of ethanol chemistry on SCC of carbon steel and to provide a mechanistic picture of crack initiation and growth in simulated fuel-grade ethanol (SFGE). Chloride content, water content, and pHe (pH value defined in ethanol-based solvent) of the ethanol are critical for SCC in this system. It was also found that film-related anodic dissolution controls the cracking dynamics in SFGE during the slow strain rate test (SSRT).

Subject
Films, Water, Simulated fuel grade ethanol, Pipelines, Transgranular stress corrosion cracking, Density, Stress, Carbon steel, Ethanol, Chlorides, Stress corrosion cracking, Electrode potential, Chloride stress corrosion cracking
Keywords:
stress corrosion cracking, fuel grade ethanol, pipeline steel, passivation 1
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2010
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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