Avaliação eletroquímica de juntas soldadas por fricção radial de aços inoxidáveis supermartensíticos

Abstract

Supermartensitic stainless steels are used in the oil and gas industry to the construction of line pipes which require welding operations. This process affects the corrosion resistance of the welded joint. Recently, new and advanced welding processes are being applied in the transversal joining of tubings. In this sense, welding processes as the Radial Friction which is characterized by a solid state process deserve special consideration. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the corrosion resistance in a welded joint of supermartensitic stainless steel by radial friction welding RFW, comprehending distinct regions as the base metal (BM), consumable ring (CR), and heat-affected zone/thermo-mechanically affected zone (HAZ/TMAZ). The corrosion resistance in terms of electrochemical behavior was studied by anodic polarization measurements in sulphuric acid solution. It was observed that the passive current density and the critical current density of the HAZ/TMAZ and CR diminished in comparison with that of the BM. The corrosion rate which was measured by the linear polarization method, in acid solutions, showed the same behaviour as in the anodic polarization. The susceptibility to intergranular corrosion was evaluated by means of the electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation tests in the double loop version (DL-EPR). The degree of sensitization was calculated by determining the ratio of the reactivation current density to that of the activation current density, Ir/Ia. It was observed that the degree of sensitization of the HAZ/TMAZ and CR diminished in comparison with that of the BM. The localized corrosion resistance was evaluated by cyclic potentiodynamic polarization curves, measured in 3,5 % NaCl solution. The susceptibility to localized corrosion was analyzed by the determination of the pitting potential. It was possible to observe that the pitting potential of the HAZ/TMAZ and CR increased in comparison with that of the BM. The thermo mechanical cycles associated with the radial friction welding process significantly altered the microstructure of the HAZ/TMAZ and AC which improved the corrosion resistance of these regions, in comparison with the quenched and tempered BM.