Formation and growth of pits on X5CrNi18-10 austenitic stainless steel in presence of chlorides and sulphates

The resistance of X5CrNi18-10 stainless steel to pitting corrosion in a solution containing chlorides and sulphates was tested using the potentiodynamic polarization method. The obtained results show that the stainless steel is significantly resistant to pit formation, but it is susceptible to pit growth and crevice corrosion. Pits formed at the corrosion potential grow continuously. Statistical analysis of the results obtained during pitting corrosion testing was performed. It can be assumed with a probability of 95% that values of indicators of resistance to pit formation (the pitting potential Epit, the metastable pitting potential Empit and the difference Epit-Ekor) will be within the range of several percents. Values of indicators of resistance to pit growth (the amount of charge required for the pit growth q, the protective potential Eprot and the difference Epit-Eprot) will be within the broader range. In addition, the appearance of pits on the surface of the stainless steel, as well as the appearance of the pits bottom, were analyzed. It was shown that the structure of the stainless steel tested was not sensitized to pitting and intergranular corrosion, which means that the stainless steel was not previously thermally treated.