Corrosion of stainless steels in acid solutions with organic sulfur-containing compounds

The influence of the organic sulfur-containing compounds on the corrosion o f ferrite and austenitic stainless steels in sulfuric acid was studied. The results showed that the anodic dissolution and self-corrosion of stainless steels were remarkably accelerated in solutions with a low amount of the o rganic sulfur-containing compounds (0.02 mmol/dm(3)). With an increase of t he organic sulfur-containing compound concentration, more and more the orga nic sulfur-containing compound molecules adsorbed on the electrode surface and segregated the metal surface from the solution, which caused the decrea se of the anodic dissolution and hydrogen evolution current of stainless st eels. The anodic polarization behaviors of stainless steels were also chang ed with the various types of the organic sulfur-containing compounds and st ainless steels. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.