Corrosion behavior of iron-based alloys in the LiBr + ethylene glycol + H2O mixture

The corrosion resistance of 1018 carbon steel, 304 and 316 type stainless steels in the LiBr (55 wt.%) + ethylene glycol + H2O mixture at 25, 50 and 80 °C has been studied using electrochemical techniques which included potentiodynamic polarization curves, electrochemical noise and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. Results showed that, at all tested temperature, the three steels exhibited an active–passive behavior. Carbon steel showed the highest corrosion rate, since both the passive and corrosion current density values were between two and four orders of magnitude higher than those found for both stainless steels. Similarly, the most active pitting potential values was for 1018 carbon steel. For 1018 carbon steel, the corrosion process was under a mixed diffusion and charge transfer at 25 °C, whereas at 50 and 80 °C a pure diffusion controlled process could be observed. For 316 type stainless steel, at 25 and 50 °C a species adsorption controlled process was observed, whereas at 80 °C a diffusion controlled mechanism was present. Additionally, at 25 °C, the three steels were more susceptible to uniform type of corrosion, whereas at 50 and 80 °C they were very susceptible to localized type of corrosion.