CORROSION OF AUTO-BODY STEEL AND THE EFFECTS OF INHIBITED DEICING SALTS

CORROSION OF AUTO-BODY STEEL WAS MEASURED IN EIGHT REPRESENTATIVE AREAS OF CANADA. THESE AREAS VARIED FROM COLD, DRY TO HUMID CLIMATES, AND FROM LOW TO HIGH INDUSTRIAL CONCENTRATIONS. ATMOSPHERIC CORROSION WAS MEASURED BY EXPOSING TEST PANELS OF STANDARD AUTOBODY STEEL IN EACH SELECTED AREA. CORROSION DUE TO DEICING SALT WAS MEASURED BY MOUNTING TEST COUPONS OF THE SAME STEEL ON VEHICLES OPERATING IN THE TEST AREA AND BY THE USE OF TRAFFIC SIMULATORS IN ONE TEST LOCATION. THE TRAFFIC SIMULATORS WERE CONSTRUCTED AND OPERATED OUTDOORS UNDER COMPLETELY NATURAL CONDITIONS. CUMULATIVE CORROSION CURVES WERE OBTAINED USING STANDARD AUTOBODY STEEL TEST COUPONS FOR UNSALTED, SALTED AND SALTED WITH INHIBITOR CONDITIONS. THIS GAVE A COMPARATIVE MEASURE OF THE AMOUNT OF CORROSION OCCURRING DUE TO NATURAL CONDITIONS, THE INCREASE DUE TO THE USE OF SALT, AND THE EFFECT OF THREE DIFFERENT INHIBITORS IN RETARDING THE SALT INDUCED CORROSION. A LABORATORY TEST FOR EVALUATING INHIBITOR PERFORMANCE, CARRIED OUT AT BOTH ROOM TEMPERATURE AND AT 32 F, IS ALSO DESCRIBED. /AUTHOR/