Corrosion and corrosive wear of annealed, impact-fractured and slow bending-fractured surface layers of AISI 1045 steel in a 3.5% NaCl solution

Previous studies have demonstrated that the wear-corrosion synergism can be markedly affected by the loading speed. In this study, effects of the loading speed or strain rate on corrosion and corrosive wear of annealed, impact-fractured and slow bending-fractured surface layers of AISI 1045 steel in a 3.5% NaCl solution were investigated using electrochemical, scanning Kelvin probing and electrochemical scratching techniques. In order to understand the mechanism responsible for the effects of loading speed on corrosion and corrosive wear, SEM fractography, X-ray line profile analysis and micro-hardness testing were employed to investigate changes in microstructure and corresponding mechanical properties with respect to the loading speed. Results of the experiments are explained in terms of the effect of strain rate on surface microstructure and corresponding electrochemical and mechanical properties, and consequently the corrosive wear behaviour of the steel.