Use of the β-Rays Absorption for the Study of Corrosion Reactions

This work deals with a radiometric method proposed for the study of metal and alloy corrosion, based on the absorption of the β rays emitted by an external source 90 Sr- 90 Y .These radiations which are passing through the corrosive medium are absorbed partially by the iron ions appeared inside by the anodic oxidation of a steel sample. The concept of the 'constant of global reaction rate' has been introduced to describe the dissolution of the 3 steel samples in aggressive solutions: HCl, H2SO4 and CH3COOH, from a kinetic point of view. The corrosion process takes place in different ways in reactions studied, being influenced both by the characteristics of the steel and of the aggressive medium, decreasing as: HCl > H2SO4 > CH3COOH