Corrosion Behaviour of Tinplate in Synthetic Industrial Water

Abstract

The corrosion behaviour of tinplate in a synthetic medium similar to industrial water containing sulphates, chlorides and HCO3- ions has been studied. The effect of concentration of anions in solution has been investigated. The results obtained by use of electrochemical and metalographical techniques show that tinplate manifests a passivation phenomenon with rupture of passivity. The examination of the spectra obtained by microanalysis EDAX shows the presence of the chemical elements Sn, Fe and O2 on the surface of tinplate but with proportions which depend on the state of material. The results obtained show that tinplate is very sensitive to the anions concentration variation in solution. The presence of anions Cl- and SO42- stimulate pitting corrosion of tinplate, whereas HCO3- ions acted as an inhibitor for pitting corrosion of this material in the studied medium.