Corrosion resistance of water‐cooled rebar quenched in a novel agent

The purpose of the investigation was to research the corrosion resistance of water‐cooled rebar quenched in a novel agent (CQ) named CQ‐cooled rebar.

Water‐cooled rebar was quenched in CQ about 1 s, then cooled in air. The corrosion resistance of water‐cooled rebar and CQ‐cooled rebar was evaluated by atmospheric exposure (AE) and wet/dry cyclic accelerated corrosion tests (CCT). The electrochemical properties of the two rebar scales were researched using electrochemical tests, and their compositions and structure were examined using XRD, SEM and FT‐IR.

The corrosion tests showed that the corrosion resistance of CQ‐cooled rebar was better than that of water‐cooled rebar. The electrochemical tests indicated that the CQ‐cooled rebar scale had a higher corrosion potential, a lower corrosion current density and a higher polarization resistance. The thickness of the scale was 56 μm for CQ‐cooled rebar, and 29 μm for water‐cooled rebar. The phase constitution of the two scales comprised Fe₂O₃, Fe₃O₄, 2FeO · SiO₂ and FeO, but the mass ratio of Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄ to 2FeO · SiO₂ and FeO, called protective ability index of the scale (PAIS), changed from 0.45 for water‐cooled rebar to 24 for CQ‐cooled rebar.

The results clarified the role of CQ‐quenching in improving the corrosion resistance of water‐cooled rebar, which was to generate thick and compact Fe₃O₄ and Fe₂O₃ layers over the rebar substrate, and retard the anodic dissolution and cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction.