×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Investigating Rust with SEM

Investigating Rust with SEM

Investigating Rust with SEM

(OP)
Hi all,

I have a part that was shortly in service and shows red rusting on the surface. The material is 316, and my suspicion tells me that the red rust is just run-off from some other component in the system but I can't be certain just from looking. If I send these parts out for SEM, can I determine if the base material is still non-corroded, and the red rust is from some other source? Would this be difficult to do?

RE: Investigating Rust with SEM

Yes, it is delicate.
You need to carefully clean a portion of the surface and check for underlying damage.
And look at the surface for signs of oxidation or surface Cr depletion.

Do you have multiple pieces of hardware?
I would try cleaning one in mild phosphoric acid.
If it cleans right up and there is no pitting visible then it is just staining from something else.
If it won't clean and/or there are significant pits then the piece is corroding itself.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Plymouth Tube

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources