Iron alloys mainly steels are used widespread for long period
of time. According to thermodynamics these are prone to
corrosion. Corrosion behaviour is described as dependant on
alloy composition and corrosion environment. It is supposed the
most important is the composition which implies where the alloy
will resist and the corrosion environment which implies what
corrosion products are formed. However this simplification may
not be utterly true. The capability to resist corrosion depends
on material composition for sure. But the phase composition of
corrosion products is dependant mainly on corrosion processes,
not only the corrosion environment in general. Similar or
nearly identical corrosion products were obtained by corrosion
in different environments, corrosion in soils and corrosion in
outdoor atmosphere. Under both conditions layered structures
formed of Lepidocrocite, Maghemite and Goethite has been
formed. This is in agreement with the theoretical corrosion
process description but is not with the simplified corrosion
models. This does not mean automatically the simplified models
are completely wrong; it does mean however these simplified
models need revision. The general environment description is
not sufficient to describe what is going on in the environment.