ASTM G31-72(2004)

ASTM G31-72(2004) - 1.5.2004

Significance and Use

Corrosion testing by its very nature precludes complete standardization. This practice, rather than a standardized procedure, is presented as a guide so that some of the pitfalls of such testing may be avoided.

Experience has shown that all metals and alloys do not respond alike to the many factors that affect corrosion and that “accelerated” corrosion tests give indicative results only, or may even be entirely misleading. It is impractical to propose an inflexible standard laboratory corrosion testing procedure for general use, except for material qualification tests where standardization is obviously required.

In designing any corrosion test, consideration must be given to the various factors discussed in this practice, because these factors have been found to affect greatly the results obtained.

1. Scope

1.1 This practice describes accepted procedures for and factors that influence laboratory immersion corrosion tests, particularly mass loss tests. These factors include specimen preparation, apparatus, test conditions, methods of cleaning specimens, evaluation of results, and calculation and reporting of corrosion rates. This practice also emphasizes the importance of recording all pertinent data and provides a checklist for reporting test data. Other ASTM procedures for laboratory corrosion tests are tabulated in the Appendix. (Warning-In many cases the corrosion product on the reactive metals titanium and zirconium is a hard and tightly bonded oxide that defies removal by chemical or ordinary mechanical means. In many such cases, corrosion rates are established by mass gain rather than mass loss.)

1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.

This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

2. Referenced Documents

G66-23	Standard Test Method for Visual Assessment of Exfoliation Corrosion Susceptibility of 5XXX Series Aluminum Alloys (ASSET Test)
ISO 3651-2	Determination of resistance to intergranular corrosion of stainless steels - Part 2: Ferritic, austenitic and ferritic-austenitic (duplex) stainless steels - corrosion test in media containing sulfuric acid
A262-15(2021)	Standard Practices for Detecting Susceptibility to Intergranular Attack in Austenitic Stainless Steels
E8-04	Standard Test Methods for Tension Testing of Metallic Materials
G34-23	Standard Test Method for Exfoliation Corrosion Susceptibility in 2XXX and 7XXX Series Aluminum Alloys (EXCO Test)
G46-21	Standard Guide for Examination and Evaluation of Pitting Corrosion
G48-11(2020)e1	Standard Test Methods for Pitting and Crevice Corrosion Resistance of Stainless Steels and Related Alloys by Use of Ferric Chloride Solution (Includes all amendments and changes 12/17/2020).

ISO 8993	Anodized aluminum and aluminum alloys - Rating system for the evaluation of pitting corrosion - Chart method
ISO 3651-1	Austenitic Stainless Steels - Determination of resistance to intergranular corrosion of stainless steels - Part I: Austenitic and ferritic-austenitic (duplex) stainless steels - Corrosion test in nitric acid medium by measurement of loss in mass (Huey test)
G71-81(2019)	Standard Guide for Conducting and Evaluating Galvanic Corrosion Tests in Electrolytes
G107-95(2020)e1	Standard Guide for Formats for Collection and Compilation of Corrosion Data for Metals for Computerized Database Input (Includes all amendments and changes 12/17/2020).
G108-23	Standard Test Methods for Electrochemical Reactivation (EPR) for Detecting Sensitization of AISI Type 304 and 304L Stainless Steels
G112-22	Standard Guide for Conducting Exfoliation Corrosion Tests in Aluminum Alloys
G67-24	Standard Test Method for Determining the Susceptibility to Intergranular Corrosion of 5XXX Series Aluminum Alloys by Mass Loss After Exposure to Nitric Acid (NAMLT Test)
G116-99(2020)e1	Standard Practice for Conducting Wire-on-Bolt Test for Atmospheric Galvanic Corrosion (Includes all amendments and changes 12/17/2020).
G135-95(2001)	Standard Guide for Computerized Exchange of Corrosion Data for Metals
G170-06(2020)e1	Standard Guide for Evaluating and Qualifying Oilfield and Refinery Corrosion Inhibitors in the Laboratory (Includes all amendments and changes 12/10/2020).
G184-06(2020)e1	Standard Practice for Evaluating and Qualifying Oil Field and Refinery Corrosion Inhibitors Using Rotating Cage (Includes all amendments and changes 12/17/2020).
G185-06(2020)e1	Standard Practice for Evaluating and Qualifying Oil Field and Refinery Corrosion Inhibitors Using the Rotating Cylinder Electrode (Includes all amendments and changes 12/17/2020).
ISO 8994	Anodized aluminum and aluminum alloys - Rating system for the evaluation of pitting corrosion - Grid method
ISO 9400	Nickel-based alloys - Determination of resistance to intergranular corrosion
ISO 11463	Corrosion of metals and alloys - Evaluation of pitting corrosion
ISO 11845	Corrosion of metals and alloys - General principles for corrosion testing
ISO 11846	Corrosion of metals and alloys - Determination of resistance to intergranular corrosion of solution heat-treatable aluminum alloys
ISO 11881	Corrosion of metals and alloys - Exfoliation corrosion testing of aluminum alloys
SP0690	Standard Format for Collection and Compilation of Data for Computerized Material Corrosion Resistance Database Input
ISO 8407	Corrosion of metals and alloys - Removal of corrosion products from corrosion test specimens
G110-92(2022)e2	Standard Practice for Evaluating Intergranular Corrosion Resistance of Heat Treatable Aluminum Alloys by Immersion in Sodium Chloride + Hydrogen Peroxide Solution (Includes all amendments and changes 1/31/2023).
G78-20	Standard Guide for Crevice Corrosion Testing of Iron-Base and Nickel-Base Stainless Alloys in Seawater and Other Chloride-Containing Aqueous Environments
G82-98(2021)e1	Standard Guide for Development and Use of a Galvanic Series for Predicting Galvanic Corrosion Performance (Includes all amendments and changes 1/21/2021).
D1193-06(2018)	Standard Specification for Reagent Water
E300-03(2022)	Standard Practice for Sampling Industrial Chemicals
G1-03(2017)e1	Standard Practice for Preparing, Cleaning, and Evaluating Corrosion Test Specimens (Includes all amendments and changes 12/8/2017).
G28-22	Standard Test Methods for Detecting Susceptibility to Intergranular Corrosion in Wrought, Nickel-Rich, Chromium-Bearing Alloys
ISO 6509	Corrosion of metals and alloys - Determination of dezincification resistance of brass