Corrosion of 42CrMo4 steel in marine environment using SEM/EDS analysis
Many steels are used in specific environments, while one of these is maritime applications. High-strength 42CrMo4 steel finds numerous applications in the marine industry, including shaft parts, crankshafts, connecting rods, drilling joints, pump parts, steam turbines, and salvage equipment. In order to provide performance reliability in the marine environment, it is essential to study the corrosion resistance of surfaces of 42CrMo4 steel components and parts. The steel's behavior is typically evaluated in a synthetic NaCl solution, which is prepared as a standard substitute for seawater. This paper is focused on the behavior of the steel samples under corrosion conditions in NaCl solution. The level of sample surface degradation which is caused by the corrosion over a 4-month exposure period was evaluated using SEM/EDS analysis. The mass loss increased during the testing period, following an almost linear model in all time periods.