Mechanism for hydrogen evolution reaction on pipeline steel in near-neutral pH solution

Cyclic voltammetry, hydrogen permeation tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements were combined to study the mechanism for hydrogen evolution reaction on X-70 pipe steel in near-neutral pH solution. It is found that hydrogen evolution reaction is dominated by the reduction of water molecules, followed by either an electrochemical hydrogen recombination reaction or a hydrogen absorption reaction. The near-neutral pH environment is capable of generating catalytic surface effect on hydrogen evolution on the pipe steel. The increasing dissolution of the cathodically pre-polarized steel could be due to the enhanced activation of the steel, rather than the increasing amount of hydrogen atoms in the steel. These results provide mechanistic information to understand the near-neutral pH stress corrosion cracking of pipelines.