Electrochemical Characterization of the Corrosion of Mild Steel in Saline Following Mechanical Deformation

Upgrading the corrosion properties of metallic materials has been the dream of many corrosion experts and material scientists. The present study investigated the influence of mechanical deformation by rolling process on the corrosion behavior of mild steel through an electrochemical process in a chloride-containing environment at room temperature. The microstructures before and after rolling and corrosion tests were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mild steels were first subjected to cold rolling with approximately 30% rolling reduction, and the corrosion resistance of both the unrolled and rolled samples was then determined. The polarization results revealed that the rolled mild steel sample possessed a corrosion potential of −0.118 V, reduced corrosion current density of 0.133 mA/cm², higher impedance, and phase angle maximum. The grain refinement and the surface roughness are related to the deformation and corrosion mechanisms.