CREVICE CORROSION OF 316L CAUSED BY CHLORIDE PARTITION IN WATER-BUTANONE MIXTURES

Chloride-induced crevice corrosion of a 316L pump was found to have oc curred in what was nominally a very dilute solution of sodium chloride in a single-phase solution of water in butanone at 25 degrees C. The hypothesis formed was that water had entered the system in a sufficien t amount to form an immiscible mixture of a water-rich phase and a but anone-rich phase. This separation into two liquids was followed by pre ferential partition into the water-rich phase of the sodium chloride t o give a brine. A simple test demonstrated thar the hypothesis was ten able. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.