Effect of ultra-thin surface oxide on corrosion behavior of a Cr–Si alloyed press-hardened steel
摘要
Coating-free press-hardened steel (CF-PHS) had effectively tackled the challenge of high-temperature oxidation during processing through Cr–Si alloying strategy. However, it is equally essential to investigate its corrosion resistance and the role of the oxide scale in corrosion environments. The corrosion resistance of CF-PHS with and without oxide scale was comprehensively evaluated by analyzing electrochemical processes and corrosion products, as well as characterizing the corroded oxide scale features, while comparing it with commercial 22MnB5 steel. The results indicate that CF-PHS exhibits superior corrosion resistance compared to 22MnB5 steel and the presence of oxide scale may have a negative influence on short-time corrosion resistance. The ultra-thin oxide scale is unable to effectively and timely mitigate pit propagation during the rapid electrochemical tests. Conversely, during the prolonged corrosion process, the oxide scale can still function as the physical barrier to provide protective effects, making the corrosion process develop more slowly and evenly.