Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An electrochemical and microstructural characterization of steel-mortar admixed with corrosion inhibitors

  • Published:
Science in China Series E: Technological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present research brings new insights on the role of admixed corrosion inhibitors in the processes of cement hydration and rebar corrosion. The admixing of NaCl and the corrosion inhibitors in fresh mortar was found to alter the morphology and microstructure of the hardened mortar at the steel-mortar interfacial region. The admixing of the inhibitors increased the risk of carbonation of cement hydrates at the steel-mortar interfacial region, but partially displaced chloride ions. Chloride and the admixed inhibitors facilitated the formation of different cement hydrates and affected chloride binding at the steel-mortar interfacial region. The admixing of all three inhibitors was found to increase the polarization resistance of steel, indicating reduced corrosion rate of the steel over 48-day exposures to salt ponding

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Berke N S, Weil T G. World wide review of corrosion inhibitors in concrete. In: Advances in Concrete Technology. Ottawa: CANMET, 1994

    Google Scholar 

  2. Ramachandran V S. Concrete Admixtures Handbook: Properties, Science, and Technology. 2nd ed. New Jersey: Noyes Publications, 1995

    Google Scholar 

  3. Lane D R, Melendez J A, Munteanu V F, et al. Corrosion inhibiting admixture for concrete. US Patent, 2002, 6, 340, 438

    Google Scholar 

  4. Sastri V S. Corrosion Inhibitors: Principles and Applications. England: Wiley, 1998

    Google Scholar 

  5. Hansson C M, Mammolite L, Hope B B. Corrosion inhibitors in concrete-Part I: The principles. Cement Concrete Res, 1998, 28(12): 1775–1781

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Monticelli C, Frignani A, Trabanelli G A. Study on corrosion inhibitors for concrete application. Cement Concrete Res, 2000, 30(4): 635–642

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Morris W, Vázquez M A. Migrating corrosion inhibitor evaluated in concrete containing various contents of admixed chlorides. Cement Concrete Res, 2002, 32(2): 259–267

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Munteanu V F, Kinney F D. Corrosion Inhibition Properties of a Complex Inhibitor - Mechanism of Inhibition. Ottawa: CANMET, 2000

    Google Scholar 

  9. Gaidis J M. Chemistry of corrosion inhibitors. Cement Concrete Comp, 2004, 26(3): 181–189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Rosenberg A M, Gaidis J M. The mechanism of nitrite inhibition of chloride attack on reinforcing steel in alkaline aqueous environments. Mater Performance, 1979, 18: 45–48

    Google Scholar 

  11. Tritthart J, Banfill P F G. Nitrite binding in cement. Cement Concrete Res, 2001, 31(7): 1093–1100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Craig R J, Wood L E. Effectiveness of corrosion inhibitors and their influence on the physical properties of Portland cement mortars. Highway Res Rec, 1970, 328: 77–88

    Google Scholar 

  13. Gonzalez J A, Ramirez E, Bautista A. Protection of steel embedded in chloride containing concrete by means of inhibitors. Cement Concrete Res, 1998, 28(4): 577–589

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Nmai C K, Farrington S A, Bobrowski G S. Organic-based corrosion-inhibiting admixture for reinforced concrete. Concrete Intl, 1992, 14, 45

    Google Scholar 

  15. Campbell S, Jovancicevic V. Corrosion inhibitor film formation studied by ATR-FTIR. In: CORROSION 99. Texas: San Antonio, 1999. 484

    Google Scholar 

  16. Nmai C K. Multi-functional organic corrosion inhibitor. Cement Concrete Comp, 2004, 26(3), 199–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Sarkar S L, X A. Preliminary study of very early hydration of super-plasticized C3A+ Gypsum by environmental SEM. Cement Concrete Res, 1992, 22(4): 605–608

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Swift A, Paul A J, Vickerman J C. Investigation of the surface activity of corrosion inhibitors by XPS and time-of-flight SIMS. Surf Interface Anal, 1993, 20(1): 27–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Saricimen H, Mohammad M, Quddus A, et al. Effectiveness of concrete inhibitors in retarding rebar corrosion. Cement Concrete Comp, 2002, 32(1): 89–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Dhouibi L, Triki E, Raharinaivo A. The application of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to determine the long-term effectiveness of corrosion inhibitors for steel in concrete. Cement Concrete Res, 2002, 32(1): 35–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Trabanelli G, Monticelli C, Grassi V, et al. Electrochemical study on inhibitors of rebar corrosion in carbonated concrete. Cement Concrete Res, 2005, 35(9): 1804–1813

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Trépanier S M, Hope B B, Hansson C M. Corrosion inhibitors in concrete-Part III. Effect on time to chloride-induced corrosion initiation and subsequent corrosion rates of steel in mortar. Cement Concrete Res, 2001, 31(5): 713–718

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Marcotte T D, Hansson C M. The effect of the electrochemical chloride extraction treatment on steel-reinforced mortar-Part II. Microstructural characterization. Cement Concrete Res, 1999, 29(10): 1561–1568

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Beaudoin J J, Ramachandran V S. Handbook of Analytical Techniques in Concrete Science and Technology: Principles, Techniques, and Applications. New York: William Andrew Publishing, 2001

    Google Scholar 

  25. Pratt P L, Ghose A. Electron microscopy studies of Portland cement microstructures during setting and hardening. Phil Trans R Soc Lond A, 1983, 310(1511): 93–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Briggs D, Grant J T. Surface Analysis by Auger and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. Chichester: IM Publications and Surface Spectra Ltd, 2003

    Google Scholar 

  27. Berke N S, Sundberg K M. The effects of calcium nitrite and microsilica admixtures on corrosion resistance of steel in concrete. In: Proc Paul Klieger Symposium on Performance of Concrete. ACI SP-122. Detroit: American Concrete Institute, 1990. 269

    Google Scholar 

  28. Bertolini L B, Elsener P P, Polder R. Corrosion of Steel in Concrete: Prevention, Diagnosis, Repair. KgaA, Weinheim: Wiley-VCH, Verlag GmbH & Co., 2004

    Google Scholar 

  29. Famy C, Brough A R, Taylor H F W. The C-S-H gel of Portland cement mortars: Part I. The interpretation of energy-dispersive X-ray microanalyses from scanning electron microscopy, with some observations on C-S-H, AFm and AFt phases compositions. Cement Concrete Res, 2003, 33(9): 1389–1398

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Chen J J, Thomas J J, Taylor H F W, et al. Solubility and structure of calcium silicate hydrates. Cement Concrete Res, 2004, 34(9): 1499–1519

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Mindess S, Young J F. Concrete. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1981

    Google Scholar 

  32. Richardson I G, Groves G W. Microstructure and microanalysis of hardened ordinary Portland cement pastes. J Mater Sci, 1993, 28(1): 265–277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Koleva D A, Hu J, Fraaij A L A, et al. Quantitative characterisation of steel/cement paste interface microstructure and corrosion phenomena in mortars suffering from chloride attack. Corros Sci, 2006, 48(12): 4001–4019

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Song G. Application of AC electrochemical spectroscopy (EIS) in the study of corrosion of reinforced concrete. In: Proc Corrosion and Prevention. Hobart:, 1998. 257–264

  35. Welle A, Liao J D, Kaiser K, et al. Interactions of N,N′-dimethylaminoethanol with steel surfaces in alkaline and chlorine containing solutions. Appl Surf Sci, 1997, 119(3–4): 185–198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Monticelli C, Frignani A, Trabanelli G. Corrosion inhibition of steel in chloride-containing alkaline solutions. J Appl Electrochem, 2002, 32(5): 527–535

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China

    XianMing Shi & ShiZhe Song

  2. Corrosion and Sustainable Infrastructure Laboratory, Western Transportation Institute, College of Engineering, Montana State University, PO Box 174250, Bozeman, MT, 59717-4250, USA

    XianMing Shi, ZhengXian Yang & Tuan Anh Nguyen

  3. Civil Engineering Department, Montana State University, 205 Cobleigh Hall, Bozeman, MT, 59717-2220, USA

    XianMing Shi

  4. Imaging and Chemical Analysis Laboratory, Department of Physics, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA

    ZhiYong Suo & Recep Avci

Authors
  1. XianMing Shi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. ZhengXian Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tuan Anh Nguyen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. ZhiYong Suo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Recep Avci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. ShiZhe Song
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to XianMing Shi.

Additional information

Supported by the Research and Innovative Technology Administration under the U.S. Department of Transportation through the University Transportation Center

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Shi, X., Yang, Z., Nguyen, T.A. et al. An electrochemical and microstructural characterization of steel-mortar admixed with corrosion inhibitors. Sci. China Ser. E-Technol. Sci. 52, 52–66 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-008-0276-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-008-0276-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation