Increasing the corrosion resistance of low-carbon steel by laser and chemical modification

• G.V. Redkina, A.S. Anatolyeva and G.D. Artemyev

Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 31-4, Leninsky prospect, 119071 Moscow, Russia

Abstract: This study evaluates the modification efficiency of St3 low-carbon steel in an aqueous sodium dodecylphosphonate (C₁₂PNa) solution with preliminary laser treatment for protection against atmospheric corrosion. The proposed method is technologically and environmentally safe, provides effective anticorrosion protection of steel despite the nanoscale thickness of the formed film, and requires low concentrations of the organic corrosion inhibitor. The morphology and elemental composition of the surface, as well as the hydrophobic and protective properties of the thin film formed on the laser-nanostructured mild steel surface by C₁₂PNa, were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, profilometry, contact angle (Θ_c) measurements, potentiodynamic linear voltammetry, and corrosion testing. Results indicate that laser treatment of mild steel induces a multimodal surface morphology, enriches the surface layer with iron oxides, and enhances adsorption of the alkylphosphonate. Laser pre-treatment of the steel surface enables the formation of a thin superhydrophobic protective film (Θ_c = 156±1°) during subsequent layer-by-layer passivation in an aqueous C₁₂PNa solution, which remains stable in various corrosive atmospheres. Surface modification of mild steel using the proposed method demonstrates high efficiency in inhibiting corrosion in a 100% relative humidity atmosphere with moisture condensation as well as in a neutral salt spray atmosphere.

Keywords: low-carbon steel, corrosion inhibitor, dodecylphosphonic acid, passivation, atmospheric corrosion, superhydrophobization, laser treatment

Int. J. Corros. Scale Inhib., 2025, 14, no. 4, 2168-2183
doi: 10.17675/2305-6894-2025-14-4-23

Download PDF

Back to this issue content: 2025, Vol. 14, Issue 4 (pp. 1685-... (in progress))