Corrosion Behavior of Stainless Steel 316 for Carbon Anode Oxide Reduction Application

Here, the stability of stainless steel 316 (SS-316) was investigated to identify its applicability in the oxide reduction process, as a component in related equipment, to produce a complicated gas mixture composed of O2 and Cl2 under an argon (Ar) atmosphere. The effects of the mixed gas composition were investigated at flow rates of 30 mL/min O2, 20 mL/min O2 + 10 mL/min Cl2, 10 mL/min O2 + 20 mL/ min Cl2, and 30 mL/min Cl2, each at 600℃, during a constant argon flow rate of 170 mL/min. It was found that the corrosion of SS-316 by the chlorine gas was suppressed by the presence of oxygen, while the reaction proceeded linearly with the reaction time regardless of gas composition. Surface observation results revealed an uneven surface with circular pits in the samples that were fed mixed gases. Thermodynamic calculations proposed the combination of Fe and Ni chlorination reactions as an explanation for this pit formation phenomenon. An exponential increase in the corrosion rate was observed with an increase in the reaction temperature in a range of 300 ~ 600℃ under a flow of 30 mL/min Cl2 + 170 mL/min Ar.