Effects of thermal oxidation on corrosion resistance of stainless steels for muffler materials

Reduction of NOx in emission gas, improvement of engine efficiency, and extension of warranty period has made demands for developing materials more corrosively resistant to the inner-muffler environments or predicting the lifetime of materials used in muffler more precisely. The corrosion inside muffler has been explained with condensate corrosion mainly though thermal oxidation experiences prior to condensate corrosion. Hence, the aim of this study is to describe how the thermal oxidation affects the corrosion of stainless steel exposed to the inner-muffler environments. Auger electron spectroscopy and electrochemical tests were employed to analyze oxide scale and to evaluate corrosion resistance, respectively. Thermal oxidation has different role of condensate corrosion depending on the temperature: inhibiting condensate corrosion below 380 .deg. C and enhancing condensate corrosion above 380 .deg. C. The low temperature oxidation causes to form compact oxide layer functioning a barrier for penetrating condensate into a matrix. Although though thermal oxidation caused chromium-depleted layer between oxide layer and matrix, the enhancement of the condensate corrosion in high temperature oxidation resulted from corrosion-induced crevice formed by oxide scale rather than corrosion in chromium-depleted layer. It was proved by aids of anodic polarization tests and measurements of pitting corrosion potentials. By the study, the role of high temperature oxidation layer affecting the condensate corrosion of stainless steels used as muffler materials was well understood