Research Progress on Corrosion and the Inhibition of Steel in Brine Environment

Brine environments are a key factor leading to corrosion failure of reinforced concrete structures. The main mechanism is that the combined effect of chloride ion intrusion and concrete carbonation destroys the passive film on steel bars, triggering electrochemical corrosion. This paper systematically reviews the causes, processes, and protection strategies of steel corrosion in brine environments, with a focus on exploring the mechanism and application of steel corrosion inhibitors. Corrosion inhibitors can be classified into anodic, cathodic, and composite types. Among them, composite inhibitors and environmentally friendly organic inhibitors (such as amino alcohols) have become current research hotspots because they can form protective films on both anodes and cathodes while being environmentally friendly. The paper also summarizes the performance evaluation methods of corrosion inhibitors and relevant Chinese technical standards. Studies show that developing efficient, environmentally friendly, and multifunctional composite corrosion inhibitors is an effective way to improve the durability of marine concrete structures.