Practice for Conducting Corrosion Coupon Tests on Zirconium and Its Alloys
SourceZirconium and its alloys resist attack by most strong acids and alkalies. These alloys are often considered for highly corrosive applications. Conducting corrosion coupon tests for candidate materials under simulated or actual service conditions is popular in the process of materials selection. However, certain procedures in existing ASTM and NACE standards, i.e., ASTM Standards G 4 and ASTM G 31 and NACE Standard TM-01-69, are not applicable to zirconium and its alloys. A tailored practice for conducting corrosion coupon tests on zirconium and its alloys in chemical environments has been prepared. Emphasis is placed on coupon quality and preparation, galvanic corrosion, test duration, contamination resulting from the corrosion of other metals, and handling of corroded coupons. This practice should be used with applicable ASTM and NACE standards.