Final report. Experimental Study Investigating Risks of selected Amines (ExSIRA). Task 4: Atmospheric corrosion due to amines.

Abstract

The effect of selected amines on the corrosion of carbon steel and copper was investigated in the laboratory and in the field. The steel and copper samples were exposed to loads of the amines in the laboratory, representing possible 10 years maximum real exposure due to emission from a CO2 capturing plant, and to higher doses in the laboratory and in the field. No effect on the corrosion rate for steel was detected for the application of a possible 10 years real maximum dose of the amines in the laboratory as compared to blanks. Application of 700 times higher doses of amines in the laboratory was observed to give anodic protection, and thus reduced corrosion, of steel samples, but to dissolve the surface of a copper sample. The anodic protection was due to the formation of an amine surface film that protected the sample form oxidation. The dissolution of copper was probably due to formation of a copper-amine complex at high pH. A slight increase in corrosion was observed for samples that were exposed to the equivalent of possible 65 years maximum real exposure of amines in the field. This may be explained by freezing point depression and increased time of wetness of the sample surfaces due to accumulation of the amine solute on the sample surfaces in the season with frost.