Corrosion and Stress Corrosion Cracking Fundamentals

Abstract

Corrosion can be broadly described as the destruction or deterioration of a metal or alloy by way of a chemical or electrochemical reaction with its environment. It can be considered as extractive metallurgy in reverse, or the process by which a metal is returned to its natural state—an oxide. Corrosion can occur in wet (aqueous) environments and also in dry (gaseous) environments, and can occur at a high rate or a very slow rate. It can also take many forms, as discussed in the next section.