This chapter discusses the effects of metallurgical factors on the corrosion resistance of magnesium alloys. The factors are chemical composition, heat treating, grain size, and cold-work effects. The chapter describes the causes of corrosion failures in magnesium alloys, namely heavy-metal contamination, blast residues, flux inclusions, and galvanic attack.

This chapter provides a brief account of galvanic corrosion, which occurs when a metal or alloy is electrically coupled to another metal or conducting nonmetal in the same electrolyte. It begins by describing the galvanic series of metals and alloys useful for predicting galvanic relationships, followed by a brief section on polarization of metals or alloys. The effects of area, distance, and geometric shapes on galvanic-corrosion behavior are then discussed. Various alloys susceptible to galvanic corrosion are briefly reviewed. The chapter also discusses various modes of attack that lead to galvanic corrosion, along with methods for predicting and controlling galvanic corrosion.

This chapter describes the effects of metallurgical variables on the corrosion of aluminum alloys. Emphasis is placed on the effect of constituent particles on pitting corrosion of aluminum.

This chapter discusses the corrosion behavior of titanium, the types of corrosion that can occur, and the effect of alloying on corrosion resistance. It explains that, due to its tenacious oxide film, titanium has excellent corrosion resistance in oxidizing environments and that the resistance can be extended into the “reducing-acid” region by adding a small amount of palladium. It describes how different grades of titanium respond to different forms of attack, including uniform, crevice, and galvanic corrosion. It also identifies applications where corrosion is often a concern.

This chapter discusses three related corrosion mechanisms, galvanic, deposition, and stray-current corrosion, explaining why they occur and how they affect the corrosion process. It includes information on testing and prevention methods along with examples of the type of damage associated with these corrosion mechanisms.

Corrosion problems can be divided into eight categories based on the appearance of the corrosion damage or the mechanism of attack: uniform or general corrosion; pitting corrosion; crevice corrosion, including corrosion under tubercles or deposits, filiform corrosion, and poultice corrosion; galvanic corrosion; erosion-corrosion, including cavitation erosion and fretting corrosion; intergranular corrosion, including sensitization and exfoliation; dealloying; environmentally assisted cracking, including stress-corrosion cracking, corrosion fatigue, and hydrogen damage (including hydrogen embrittlement, hydrogen-induced blistering, high-temperature hydrogen attack, and hydride formation). All these forms are addressed in this chapter in the context of aqueous corrosion. For each form, a general description is provided along with information on the causes and the list of metals that can be affected, with particular emphasis on the recognition and prevention measures.

Magnesium, by volume, is two-thirds the weight of aluminum and one-quarter the weight of steel. It also has good damping capacity, giving it an edge over other metals in high-vibration environments. This chapter discusses the basic metallurgy, alloy designations, compositions, and mechanical properties of cast and wrought magnesium alloys. It also describes the processes used to produce magnesium parts, the causes and effects of corrosion, and the use of protective coatings and treatments.

This article describes some of the general characteristics associated with the corrosion of weldments. The role of macrocompositional and microcompositional variations, a feature common to weldments, is emphasized in this article to bring out differences that need to be realized in comparing corrosion of weldments to that of wrought materials. The article discusses the most important methods available to minimize corrosion in weldments.

This chapter discusses some important factors involved in the atmospheric corrosion of engineering materials. The discussion begins with a description of elements necessary for the operation of a galvanic corrosion cell and corrosion reactions, followed by the types of atmospheric corrosion attack. Some of the atmospheric parameters and their effects on the corrosion of several metals are then reviewed. The following sections provide information on air chemistry, principal pollutants inducing corrosion, thermodynamics as well as models for prediction of atmospheric corrosion, and use of Pourbaix diagrams. The phenomenon of precipitation runoff on the corroded metal surface is then discussed. The chapter also describes the role of microbes or bacteria in the corrosion of metals. It concludes by providing information on the trends in atmospheric corrosion research and methods.

This chapter focuses on various factors to be considered at design stage to minimize corrosion. It begins by providing information on design considerations and general corrosion awareness. This is followed by a description of several factors influencing materials-component failure. Details on design and materials selection, which assist in controlling corrosion, are then provided. The chapter ends with a discussion on the design factors that influence corrosion.

The design process is the first and most important step in corrosion control. Major savings in operating costs are possible by anticipating corrosion problems so as to provide proper design for equipment before assembly or construction begins. This chapter describes the role of the design team in producing a successful final design, general considerations in corrosion-control design, and design details that accelerate corrosion. The details that must be considered when attempting to control corrosion by design include plant/site location, plant environment, component/assembly shape, fluid movement, surface preparation and coating procedures, and compatibility, insulation, and stress considerations. Design solutions for specific forms of corrosion, namely crevice corrosion, galvanic corrosion, erosion-corrosion, and stress-corrosion cracking, are then considered. A brief section is devoted to the discussion on corrosion allowance used for steel parts subject to uniform corrosion. Finally, the chapter describes the design considerations for using weathering steels.

Corrosion failures of welds can occur even when the proper base metal and filler metal have been selected, industry codes and standards have been followed, and welds have been deposited that possess full weld penetration and have proper shape and contour. This chapter describes some of the general characteristics associated with the corrosion of weldments. The role of macro- and microcompositional variations, a feature common to weldments, is emphasized in this chapter to bring out differences that need to be realized in comparing the corrosion of weldments to that of wrought materials. The discussion covers the factors influencing corrosion of weldments, microstructural features of weld microstructures, various forms of weld corrosion, and welding practice to minimize corrosion.

This chapter describes issues related to corrosion of carbon steel weldments and remedial measures that have proven successful in specific cases. The forms of corrosion covered includes preferential heat affected zone corrosion, preferential weld metal corrosion, and galvanic corrosion. Industrial case studies demonstrating the necessity for testing each galvanic couple in the environment for which it is intended are presented. The chapter also discusses various factors associated with stress-corrosion cracking in oil refineries.

This chapter discusses the basic principles of corrosion, explaining how and why it occurs and how it is categorized and dealt with based on the appearance of corrosion damage or the mechanism of attack. It explains where different forms of corrosion are likely to occur and identifies metals likely to be affected. It also discusses the selection and use of protective coatings and the tests that have been developed to measure their effectiveness.