Ecological risks and danger of manmade disasters from corrosion caused by the use of chloride deicers at JSC “Russian Railways”

• S.V. Churyukina¹, I.A. Kozlov², O.A. Goncharova², V.A. Pashinin¹, Ph.I. Sukhov¹ and V.A. Mamonov²

¹ Federal State Institution of Higher Education “Russian University of Transport”, 9, Obraztsova st., bldg. 9, Moscow, Russian Federation
² A.N. Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky pr. 31, 119071 Moscow, Russian Federation

Abstract: Based on the studies performed, this article identifies the manmade risks of the use of chloride deicers at railway transport enterprises. It is proved that reinforced concrete and metal structures of buildings and bridges, power lines and contact-wire lines, railroad bed, equipment and metal elements of buildings, rolling stock, and underground utilities are corroded and destructed most intensely. Structural corrosion changes of materials that are parts of railway transportation facilities and roads, overhead power lines, and passenger infrastructure are shown. It is proved that chloride deicers under conditions of temperatures varying from positive to negative values destroy reinforced concrete structures and metal power lines very quickly and completely. As a result of corrosion, a film of copper(II) chloride CuCl₂ (brown color) appears on the surface of heated metal wires, and when they cool down, copper(II) chlorides are converted to copper(II) chloride dihydrates CuCl₂·2H₂O (green color). A recommendation for solving corrosion problems with modern IFKhAN series corrosion inhibitors is given. The application of IFKhAN series inhibitors significantly reduces the corrosion costs and allows the effective life of metalware, machinery and equipment to be prolonged.

Keywords: chloride deicers, structural materials, corrosion, copper, reinforced concrete, manmade disasters, ecological risks, rail transport, inhibitors, corrosion rates

Int. J. Corros. Scale Inhib., 2024, 13, no. 4, 2266-2274
doi: 10.17675/2305-6894-2024-13-4-19

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