Corrosion of Nickel Metal by Hydrothermal Sodium Tungstate Solution Observed by In-Situ Infrared Spectroscopy

Abstract Corrosion of nickel metal in a high-temperature aqueous tungstate solution was described. The corrosion altered the solution's pH, which affected the equilibrium of the solution chemistry. These secondary effects of the corrosion process were observed with in-situ infrared (IR) spectroscopy, demonstrating that important information on corrosion phenomena at the solid-fluid interface may be obtained from in-situ spectroscopic studies of the fluid phase. Subsequent scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the corroded nickel metal and solid corrosion products support conclusions drawn from solution chemistry measurements. The presented findings are of interest to researchers and engineers that use pure nickel or nickel-bearing alloys as a material for high-temperature, high-pressure applications in aqueous solutions.