........ published in NEWSLETTER # 52
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........ published in NEWSLETTER # 52
MODELLING AQUEOUS CORROSION
by Dr. K. Trethewey, University, Southampton (U.K.) and Professor P. Roberge, Royal Military College (Canada)
All significant studies agree that aqueous corrosion continues to cost nations dearly in almost every area of technological endeavour. Improvements to present methods of corrosion control are urgently required, particularly with the advent of new varieties of advanced materials. Even in the rare cases in which there is a thorough understanding of the physical mechanisms underlying the corrosion mechanisms, the knowledge may not be sufficient to develop quantitative prediction models.
Microcomputers have facilitated an explosion in the power of modelling as a technique in science and engineering. In corrosion they have enabled better understanding of polarization curves, they have transformed the scope of electrochemical impedance measurements and they have placed a large range of electrochemistry at the fingertips of the corrosion scientist. Rapid, accurate calculations of potential distributions over complex multimetallic systems have been made easy with the aid of flexible algorithms on desktop computers, and besides being used to control a wide variety of corrosion monitoring equipment, computers have enabled the development of new commercial instruments.
New branches of science have been developed such as the application of chaos and fractal theories to new atomistic or statistical models of corrosion processes. Similarly, artificial intelligence and associated databases are likely to be crucial for expert assessments of corrosion performance in the next generations of industrial systems and life prediction of new advanced material structures using improved crack growth models is ever more critical. In the nuclear industry, models of corrosion have become even more important, whether in managing the extensions to the life of presently operating reactors, or in designing safe containment vessels for radioactive waste.
This book (NATO ASI SERIES E266) focuses on the models, rather than the computing, which have been made possible during the past decade. It reviews the most recent developments across a broad spectrum of engineering activities, drawing together the range of new modelling strands, and suggesting new avenues of approach. It generates further momentum for improvements to corrosion management, whether by increased understanding of the atomistic process, or by control of large plant and will therefore interest not only scientists and engineers directly involved with corrosion control, but also engineering managers. The book includes papers on the protectiveness of corrosion layers, localized corrosion, modelling of corrosion of steel in inhibited solutions, the application of expert systems to corrosion control, corrosion modelling in nuclear systems and waste containers, environment_ sensitive cracking of aluminium alloys, electrochemical impedance and noise measurements, passivation, pitting resistance of stainless steels, turbulence and corrosion product film stability in disturbed aqueous flow, and fractal models of surfaces.
Reference books: E30, E203, E266, E267