Corrosion of zirconium in hydrochloric acid

Zirconium shows resistance in 20 and 30 percent HCl solutions, if the concentration of the oxidizing agents does not exceed 0.01--0.5 g/l. On increasing the concentration of the oxidizing agent, pitting corrosion occurs with increase of the total corrosion. The tendency to pitting corrosion was determined according to the potentials of pit formation measured by the galvanostatic method. Zirconium is not subject to hydrogen embrittlement in hydrochloric acid and can therefore be used for preparing insoluble cathodes, operating in reducing media