An experimental study of crevice corrosion behaviour of 316L stainless steel in artificial seawater

The effects of applied torque on corrosion behaviour of 316L stainless steel with crevices were investigated using the cyclic potentiodynamic polarization method. Three kinds of crevices (316L-to-polytetrafluoroethylene, 316L-to-fluoroelastomeric and 316L-to-316L) were tested in artificial seawater at 50 °C. Corroded surface morphology was also investigated using scanning electron microscopy. Results indicate similar trends in crevice corrosion susceptibility with increasing applied torque. Among the three crevices, the 316L stainless steel specimen, coupled to the 316L stainless steel crevice former, is the most susceptible to crevice corrosion.