A Study on the Galvanic Corrosion for Zirconium with Titanium and 316L Stainless Steel

The coastal area of Republic of Korea is very clean compared to other countries. In this reason, west coastal area of our country is a good place for breeding up a fish such as shrimp. In winter season, the heating system is required for preventing shrimp death caused by freezing in the farm. The heater in the heating system for fisherys farm is operated very severe combating corrosion due to high accumulation by feeding material and high temperature in heated sea water. Almost all manufactured heaters of STS 316L and Ti material are scrapped every year due to heavy corrosion such a general and crevice corrosion. For comparing the general and galvanic corrosion in new heater material, the test material of Zirconium (Zr), Titanium (Ti) and STS 316L are tested by potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), current density-time methods and microscopic examination in a 3.5% NaCl solution. The corrosion potential (Ecor) measured by potentiodynamic polarization for Zr, Ti and STS 316L reveals -198, -250 and -450mV, corrosion current density 0.5, 2.5 and 6.5㎂/cm2 respectively. The film resistance measured by EIS are Zr 63,000, Ti 39,700 and 316L 3,150Ω, and the current of Zr-Ti couple is 0.03㎂, whereas Zr-316L SS is 0.1㎂. According to the result of this experiment in 3.5% NaCl solution, Zr is excellent corrosion resistance material than Ti and STS 316L.