Galvanic Corrosion of a Carbon Steel-Stainless Steel Couple in Sulfide Solutions

The galvanic corrosion behavior of carbon steel-stainless steel couples with various cathode/anode area ratios was investigated in S2−-containing solutions, which were in equilibrium with air, by electrochemical measurements, immersion test, and surface characterization. It is found that the galvanic corrosion effect on carbon steel anode increases with the cathode/anode area ratios, and decreases with the increasing concentration of S2− in the solution. A layer of sulfide film is formed on carbon steel surface, which protects it from corrosion. When the cathode/anode area ratio is 1:1, the potentiodynamic polarization curve measurement and the weight-loss determination give the identical measurement of the galvanic corrosion effect. With the increase of the cathode/anode area ratio, the electrochemical method may not be accurate to determine the galvanic effect. The anodic dissolution current density of carbon steel cannot be approximated simply with the galvanic current density.