Weight Loss and Microstructural Studies of Stressed Mild Steel in Apple Juice

摘要

This study investigated the effect of internal stress of mild steel on its corrosion behaviour in applejuice by weight loss and microstructural analyses. The stress in the mild steel samples was induced byo heat treatment at three different austenitic temperatures of 800, 850 and 900 C, followed by rapidquenching in cold water. The analyses of the results obtained showed that the heat treatment of mildsteel at different temperatures followed by cold water quenching, changed the microstructure of the2 mild steel. The weight loss measurements obtained were at the highest of 0.009894 g/cm for the non- 2 o 2 heat treated mild steel, 0.007831 g/cm for 900 C heat treated mild steel, 0.006394 g/cm for theo 2 o sample heat treated at 850 C, and 0.005287 g/cm for the sample heat treated at 800 C. The analyseso of these results showed that the sample heat treated at 800 C was more resistant in apple juice havingthe lowest average corrosion rate of 53.23 m/y. The resistance of mild steel to corrosion in thismedium decreased with the increase in austenitic temperature, which is observed from corrosion rateo o of 53.23 m/y for sample heat treated at 800 C, 65.05 m/y for sample heat treated at 850 C, ando 80.630 m/y for sample heat treated at 900 C, while 99.83 m/y is recorded for the control sample.Intergranular corrosion with traces of pitting was observed in the heat treated samples immersed in theapple juice and the acidity of the medium increased with increase in exposure time.