Effects of rare earth on inclusions and corrosion resistance of 10PCuRE weathering steel

The types, morphologies and distributions of nonmetallic inclusions in Cu-P weathering steels with and without rare earth were analyzed through a quantitative image analyzer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) attached to SEM. Solid-soluble content of rare earth in the steels was analyzed by non-aqua electroanalysis and ICP. The results showed that rare earth modified the types and the morphologies of inclusions in the weathering steels. The small spherical rare earth oxysulfides and rare earth sulphides replaced the elongated MnS inclusions in the RE weathering steels. The rare earth inclusions dispersedly distributed and most inclusions were smaller than 2 mu m in size. The optimum content of RE was 0.0065%-0.016% for 10PCuRE weathering steels containing about 0.002% oxygen and 0.004% sulfur. Solid-soluble content of rare earth in steels was (14-20)x10(-6), which can act as a micro-alloying element. The corrosion resistance of 10PCuRE weathering steels and Q235 were studied by dry-wet cyclic immersion test. Their corrosion rates were obtained respectively. The polarization curves and pitting corrosion behaviors of weathering steels with and without rare earth were measured by electrochemical methods. The corrosion resistance of Cu-P weathering steels was improved by adding an appropriate amount of rare earth. Less and fewer rare earth inclusions largely decreased pitting susceptibility and rate of pit propagation. The pitting potential and the resistance against pitting corrosion of the RE weathering steel were significantly improved due to the modification of rare earth to inclusions.