TY - JOUR
T1 - Crevice corrosion
T2 - Review of mechanisms, modelling, and mitigation
AU - Betts, A. J.
AU - Boulton, L. H.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge the financial assistance of the New Zealand Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (contract C08216).
PY - 1993/1/1
Y1 - 1993/1/1
N2 - Crevice corrosion is a form of localised attack that most often occurs in narrow fissures where oxygen access is poor and a stagnant electrolyte solution is present. It can result in the destruction of the integrity of metal-metal and metal-non-metal junctions such as may exist at bolted and locktight joints, flanges, and poor quality welds. Crevice corrosion is insidious and can rapidly destroy the integrity of mechanical joints in engineering structures made from passive metals and alloys. The proposed mechanisms for crevice corrosion in sea water and in other environments where alternative cathodic reduction processes may occur, such as in chlorine-hypochlorite and hydrogen sulphide containing solutions, are reviewed. The use of mathematical modelling and some of its assumptions and limitations are also described together with laboratory methods of investigating crevice corrosion initiation and propagation. Such experimental methods may enable ranking of materials to be carried out by assessing their resistance to crevice corrosion in a range of environments. However, a number of important factors such as crevice geometry, solution composition, temperature, and alloy composition may also have a pronounced bearing on crevice corrosion behaviour for a range of passive metals and alloys including steel, stainless steel, titanium, aluminium, and copper. Examples offailures in some of these alloys are discussed and the point is made that these could have been prevented by using known measures such as good design and fabrication practices, the use of sealants, and the application of surface coatings. However, materials selection and the appreciation of electrochemical technology such as cathodic protection are also important control measures that are frequently overlooked. The importance of sound, good quality welding practices to prevent the onset of crevice corrosion in defects caused by lack of weld metal fusion, overlap, and surface slag is also emphasised. It is frequently necessary to employ several or all of these techniques to combat crevice corrosion, since this form of localised attack, which shares many similarities with other forms such as pitting, corrosion fatigue, and stress corrosion cracking, is not always recognised as being more destructive.
AB - Crevice corrosion is a form of localised attack that most often occurs in narrow fissures where oxygen access is poor and a stagnant electrolyte solution is present. It can result in the destruction of the integrity of metal-metal and metal-non-metal junctions such as may exist at bolted and locktight joints, flanges, and poor quality welds. Crevice corrosion is insidious and can rapidly destroy the integrity of mechanical joints in engineering structures made from passive metals and alloys. The proposed mechanisms for crevice corrosion in sea water and in other environments where alternative cathodic reduction processes may occur, such as in chlorine-hypochlorite and hydrogen sulphide containing solutions, are reviewed. The use of mathematical modelling and some of its assumptions and limitations are also described together with laboratory methods of investigating crevice corrosion initiation and propagation. Such experimental methods may enable ranking of materials to be carried out by assessing their resistance to crevice corrosion in a range of environments. However, a number of important factors such as crevice geometry, solution composition, temperature, and alloy composition may also have a pronounced bearing on crevice corrosion behaviour for a range of passive metals and alloys including steel, stainless steel, titanium, aluminium, and copper. Examples offailures in some of these alloys are discussed and the point is made that these could have been prevented by using known measures such as good design and fabrication practices, the use of sealants, and the application of surface coatings. However, materials selection and the appreciation of electrochemical technology such as cathodic protection are also important control measures that are frequently overlooked. The importance of sound, good quality welding practices to prevent the onset of crevice corrosion in defects caused by lack of weld metal fusion, overlap, and surface slag is also emphasised. It is frequently necessary to employ several or all of these techniques to combat crevice corrosion, since this form of localised attack, which shares many similarities with other forms such as pitting, corrosion fatigue, and stress corrosion cracking, is not always recognised as being more destructive.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0027845298&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1179/000705993799156299
DO - 10.1179/000705993799156299
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0027845298
SN - 0007-0599
VL - 28
SP - 279
EP - 295
JO - British Corrosion Journal
JF - British Corrosion Journal
IS - 4
ER -