EIS and adjunct electrical modeling for material selection by evaluating two mild steels for use in super-alkaline mineral processing

The production of metal concentrates during mineral processing of ferrous and non-ferrous metals involves a variety of highly corrosive chemicals which deteriorate common mild steel as the material of choice in the construction of such lines, through rapid propagation of localized pitting in susceptible parts, often in sensitive areas. This requires unscheduled maintenance and plant shut down. In order to test the corrosion resistance of different available materials as replacement materials, polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests were carried out. The EIS numerical outputs were then transformed into an equivalent electric circuit using Z-View software, and the predictive behavior was contrasted with actual performance after long-term immersion, depicted through SEM, EDS, XRD and weight change observations. Also, results of pits and cracks, obtained with climax software-enhanced polarization resistance, and reduced capacitance added to much diminished current densities, verified the acceptable performance of CK₄₅ compared with high priced stainless steel substitutes with comparable operational life. Therefore, CK₄₅ can be a suitable alternative in steel constructions which are exposed to super-alkaline and corrosive environments.