This study investigated the effect of Cr alloying element on the corrosion properties of automotive carbon steel (0.1C, 0.5Si, 2.5Mn, Fe Bal., composition given in wt.%) in aqueous and atmospheric conditions using electrochemical measurement and cyclic corrosion tests. Three steels with 0, 0.3, and 0.5 wt.% Cr were studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Polarization resistance (Rp) of 0.3 Cr and 0.5 Cr steels was higher than that of 0 Cr steel, and the Rp also increased as the Cr content increased. Therefore, Cr increases the corrosion resistance of automotive carbon steel immersed in a chloride ion (Cl-)-containing aqueous solution. In the cyclic corrosion test results, Cl- was concentrated at the metal/rust interface in all of the steels regardless of Cr content. The Cl- was uniformly concentrated and distributed on the 0 Cr steel, but locally and non-uniformly concentrated on the Cr-added steels. The inner rust layer consisted of β-FeOOH containing Cl- and Cr-goethite, while the outer rust layer was composed of amorphous iron oxyhydroxide mixed with various types of rust. FeCl2 and CrCl3 are formed from the Cl- nest developed in the early stage, and the pitting at CrCl3-formed regions are locally accelerated because Cr is strongly hydrolyzed to a very low pH.
Keywords: atmospheric corrosion; automotive steel; cyclic corrosion test; electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; iron oxide.