The corrosion of copper and porous gold in flowing mixed gas environments

Abstract

Experiments were conducted on the corrosion of materials in a broad variety of single-component and multicomponent flowing mixed gas environments. One purpose of the experiments was to document in a consistent manner the corrosion rates and effect which can be expected for different gas mixtures. A second objective was to demonstrate the importance of standardized control materials for documenting environmental tests. The results confirm that flowing mixed gas environments based upon the use of the sulfide-chloride synergisms produce relevant corrosion with useful accelerator factors. Nonchloride environments were found to be relatively high. Two materials were demonstrated to be useful for documenting the conditions actually obtained during environmental tests. These are copper and porous gold. Neither alone can present an adequate descriptor of the test conditions actually achieved. Used together, however, they can provide a sensitive indicator of corrosion rates and mechanisms.<>