Electrochemical investigations on corosivity of de-icing liquids for railway infrastructure

The paper presents the results of electrochemical tests of the de-icing fluid for railway infrastructure. DC and AC electrochemical tests were performed to determine the corrosion rates of structural steel, cast iron and aluminium in the newly produced fluid. The results were compared with the corrosion rates of the same materials in the fluid without corrosion inhibitors. The obtained test results indicate a low corrosion risk of the de-icing fluid in the railway infrastructure in relation to the tested materials. The components of the fluid cause the surface passivation of materials that normally corrode in the active state. The efficiency of the inhibitors contained in the tested fluids reached a value of 90%. Corrosion rates obtained for the tested materials are many times lower than acceptable. The corrosion rates in the fluid without inhibitors, due to polyols used, are also very low. Research by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed high values of the charge transfer resistance and increase in material resistance along with the time of action of the fluids.