Search

The corrosion behavior of galvanized steels and zinc components under atmospheric exposure depends mostly on the corrosion product‐based cover layer formation under the prevailing conditions. The use of agar‐based gel electrolytes makes it possible to use electrochemical methods to obtain a characteristic value from these cover layers that describe their current and future protective capacity. It is shown here that different states of galvanized steel can be distinguished very well under laboratory conditions and that this method is also suitable for use under practical conditions. Based on the characteristic values and assuming future time of wetness, it is very easy to draw up a forecast for the future corrosion rate, which provides plausible values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiAl6V4 wrought alloy is a standard material used for endoprostheses due to its ideal characteristics in terms of osseointegration. However, the insufficient wear and crevice corrosion resistance of TiAl6V4 are limiting factors that can cause clinical problems. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze and identify suitable phases and microstructural states of TiAl6V4 alloy with advantageous implant properties by thermal treatments. By varying the temperature and cooling rate, four heat treatment strategies were derived that produced different microstructural states that differed in morphology, arrangement and proportions of phases present. All TiAl6V4 modifications were characterized regarding their microstructure, mechanical, corrosive and tribological properties, as well as cell adhesion. The acicular, martensitic microstructure achieves a significant hardness increase by up to 63% and exhibits improved corrosion and wear resistance compared to the forged condition. Whereas the modified microstructures showed similar electrochemical properties in polarization tests using different electrolytes (PBS with H2O2 and HCl additives), selective α or β phase dissolution occurred under severe inflammatory crevice conditions after four weeks of exposure at 37 °C. The microstructurally selective corrosion processes resemble the damage patterns of retrieved Ti-based implants and provide a better understanding of clinically relevant in vivo crevice corrosion mechanisms. Furthermore, a microstructural effect on cell attachment was determined and is correlated to the size of the vanadium-rich β phase. These key findings highlight the relevance of an adapted processing of TiAl6V4 alloy to increase the longevity of implants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fretting corrosion is associated with increased risk of premature implant failure. In this complex in vivo corrosion system, the contribution of static crevice corrosion of the joined metal alloys is still unknown. The aim of this study was to develop a methodology for testing crevice corrosion behavior that simulates the physiological conditions of modular taper junctions and to identify critical factors on corrosion susceptibility. Samples of medical grade CoCr28Mo6 cast and wrought alloy, TiAl6V4 wrought alloy and REX 734 stainless steel were prepared metallographically and the microstructure was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Crevice formers that mimic typical geometries of taper junctions were developed. Crevice corrosion immersion tests were performed in different physiological fluids (bovine serum or phosphate buffered saline with additives of 30 mM H2O2 at pH = 1) for 4 weeks at 37°C. SEM with energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy as well as focused ion beam were used to characterize the surface morphology, investigate present damages and identify the chemical composition of residues. Macroscopic inspection showed increased crevice corrosion susceptibility of TiAl6V4 and REX 734 under severe simulated inflammatory conditions. CoCr28Mo6 cast alloy exhibited degraded areas next to Cr‐ and Mo‐rich precipitations that were located within the opposed crevices. The results indicate that aggressive electrolyte composition and crevice heights of 50–500 μm are critical influencing factors on crevice corrosion of biomedical alloys. Furthermore, manufacturing‐related microstructure of common implant alloys determines the deterioration of corrosion resistance. The developed method should be used to enhance the corrosion resistance of common implant biomaterials by an adapted microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel‐free high‐nitrogen‐alloyed stainless steels like the P2000 (X13CrMnMoN18‐14‐3) were developed to enhance the strength and corrosion resistance of austenitic stainless steels like 304 and 316 while keeping the typical high ductility. The mechanical and corrosive properties of P2000 were investigated and compared with 304 and 316 to highlight the application opportunities of this new alloy. The microstructure of the solution‐annealed condition was characterised by electron backscatter diffraction and the mechanical properties were studied by uniaxial tensile tests, Charpy impact tests and hardness measurements. The passivation behaviour was analysed using the electrochemical potentiodynamic reactivation, whereas the pitting corrosion resistance was compared by pitting potentials and pitting temperatures. However, secondary thermal influences or suboptimal heat treatment can impair the corrosion resistance due to the precipitation of secondary phases and the resulting sensitisation. Thermodynamic calculations and artificial ageing treatment in the range of 500–900°C for up to 100 h were used to determine critical time–temperature parameters for sensitisation. The microstructure of the various aged states was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and compared with the degrading corrosion resistance characterised by the KorroPad method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of novel bioactive materials to manipulate living cell behavior is a crucial topic for biomedical research and tissue engineering. Biomaterials or surface patterns that boost specific cell functions can enable innovative new products in cell culture and diagnostics. This study investigates the influence of the intrinsically nano-patterned surface of nanoporous glass membranes on the behavior of mammalian cells. Three different cell lines and primary human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) proliferate readily on nanoporous glass membranes with mean pore sizes between 10 and 124 nm. In both proliferation and mRNA expression experiments, L929 fibroblasts show a distinct trend toward mean pore sizes >80 nm. For primary hMSCs, excellent proliferation is observed on all nanoporous surfaces. hMSCs on samples with 17 nm pore size display increased expression of COL10, COL2A1, and SOX9, especially during the first two weeks of culture. In the upside down culture, SK-MEL-28 cells on nanoporous glass resist the gravitational force and proliferate well in contrast to cells on flat references. The effect of paclitaxel treatment of MDA-MB-321 breast cancer cells is already visible after 48 h on nanoporous membranes and strongly pronounced in comparison to reference samples, underlining the material's potential for functional drug screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To check the reproducibility of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements, 19 laboratories have performed round-robin (RR) testing on EIS using various instruments and three different systems: a dummy cell and two electrochemical systems of practical interest in the nuclear corrosion domain. The general conclusion drawn from the tests performed with the dummy cell is that the actual commercially available instruments for EIS measurements are suitable to produce good quality data. Differences in the EIS diagrams for the tested electrochemical systems were observed and discussed. This RR exercise, involving for the first time a large number of laboratories, shows that intrinsic scatter (large or small) is present in the impedance data and that reproducibility should be readily checked. While EIS is an excellent technique for investigating the kinetics of electrochemical systems, great care has to be taken on planning and conducting the experiments. Recommendations are given to help obtaining reliable EIS results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pitting and environmentally assisted cracking resistance of austenitic stainless steels (SS) is challenged in several industrial applications particularly those involving hot chloride-concentrated streams. Directional drilling used in the oil and gas exploration is one of these applications. Indeed, high strength CrMn-SS commonly used in drilling technology have a high tendency to fail by stress corrosion cracking (SCC) preceded by localized corrosion once subjected to highly chloride-concentrated drilling fluids at elevated temperatures. A comprehensive understanding regarding the mechanisms governing the transition from pitting into SCC is not currently available, though. Therefore, mechanistic aspects such as the effect of loading conditions on pit nucleation and repassivation as well as the synergistic effect between pit stabilization and the nucleation of a stress corrosion crack are of great practical significance. To investigate this an electrochemical-, optical- and mechanical-monitored SCCtestwas conducted on aCrMn-SS in an alkaline brine at elevated temperature. The transition frommetastable to stable pitting and subsequently to SCC in this system was documented in-situ for the first time. Results supported H.S. Isaacs postulates regarding the interpretation of electrochemical signals and demonstrated that loading conditions affect pit nucleation and repassivation leading to a higher susceptibility of the material to pitting, which preceded SCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical tests, hardness measurements, and microstructure analysis are performed to study the influence of austenitizing, quenching, and tempering parameters on the corrosion resistance of the martensitic stainless steel grade X50CrMoV15 (1.4116). Different heat treatment states were studied using an adapted EPR‐Test to evaluate the chromium distribution and depletion caused by the formation and dissolution of chromium rich carbides. The EPR results were correlated with pitting corrosion behavior, demonstrating the strong effect of heat treatment parameters on the susceptibility of martensitic stainless steels to corrosion phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editors discuss various reports published within the issue which originated from the 6th workshop on electrochemical noise in the context of corrosion held in Magdeburg, Germany.

Electrochemical noise has made possible, with extreme sensibility the online record and analysis of spontaneous distancing of the equilibrium state of electrochemical reactions related to corrosion, increasing the possibilities for the investigation and monitoring of corrosion. Nevertheless, these possibilities opposing the traditional electrochemical methods can only be taken advantage of and optimized if many important considerations on the measurement devices, the correct planning of experimental procedures and the correct selection of suitable methods for analysis and interpretation of the signals are taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]