A Novel Model for the Crevice Corrosion of Zirconium in Water-Deficient Organics

Zirconium has the reputation of being highly resistant to crevice corrosion in aqueous chloride solutions due to its resistance in most reducing environments. It is expected to be vulnerable to crevice corrosion in certain water-deficit organics. This vulnerability results from zirconium's need for water to re-passivate any damaged sites occurring in the passive film. When there is not sufficient water to repair damaged sites, corrosion problems may occur. There are studies and reports on zirconium's problems in water-deficit organics. These problems include localized problems like stress-corrosion cracking and high corrosion rates. The crevice corrosion of zirconium in water-deficit organics is not well known and reported. This presentation will offer a model as one possibility for inducing crevice corrosion in zirconium in water-deficit organics.