Some thoughts on micro-abrasion mapping of steels in corrosive environments

There has been significant recent interest in the interactions of micro-abrasion in aqueous conditions, particularly when the environment is corrosive. This is due to the fact that there are many micro-scale-abrasion processes where the presence of the corrosive media may modify the wear on the surface. Furthermore, if the surface dissolves, the mechanical properties of the surface may be modified as a result of the effects of corrosion. In this work, the micro-abrasion of a steel/polymer couple was studied in carbonate/bicarbonate solution. The effects of two variables, applied load and potential, were investigated on the wear rate enabling quantification of the corrosion and wear contributions. Scanning Electron and Atomic Force Microscopy were used to characterize the surfaces following micro-abrasion-corrosion. The results indicated possible micro-abrasion-corrosion mechanisms on the surface. These regimes were suggested on the basis of the ratio of the micro-abrasion to the corrosion rate. In addition, micro-abrasion-corrosion maps were constructed showing the transitions between the micro-abrasion-corrosion regimes as a function of load and applied potential.