Long-term corrosion behaviour of stainless reinforcing steel in mortar exposed to chloride environment

Long-term corrosion behaviour of six stainless reinforcing steels embedded in mortar and exposed to chloride media was monitored by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy at the open circuit potential during the period of 2 years. Corrosion behaviour of studied steels was divided into two phases characterized by different interfacial behaviour: (i) passive phase and (ii) pitting propagation phase. After 2 years, duplex steel 1.4362 showed very good corrosion performance similar to austenitic steel 1.4401. Steel types with low Ni content but with high N and Mn content, 1.4597 and 1.4162, showed lower corrosion resistance compared to austenitic steel 1.4301. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.