Effect of Saline Medium on Corrosion and Erosion-Corrosion of Surface Treated Low Carbon Steel

The research investigates the effect of the surface treatment carbonization, nitriding and carbonitriding on the corrosion and erosion-corrosion of low carbon steel in saline medium. Micro-hardness testing using the Vickers hardness method was applied to all samples before and after surface treatment of carbonization, nitriding and carbonitriding. Steel samples were immersed once in a saline bath as an medium for the corrosion, and once in saline with 1 % wt. SiO2 as an medium for the erosion-corrosion. The immersions took place for different periods of time for 120, 240, 360 and 480 hr. The results of the corrosion and erosion-corrosion testing showed occurrence of corrosion and erosion-corrosion on the surface of the tested samples evident by weight loss as measured expressed as g/cm2. Comparison between the results of the corrosion and the erosion-corrosion testing, was carried by out by analyzing weight loss results. Results show that the surface carbonitriding treatment offers the best resistance to corrosion and erosion-corrosion.