1999 Volume 48 Issue 4 Pages 190-198
Our recent studies on corrosion of iron in anhydrous organic solvents containing electrolytes are reviewed. Iron corrodes in an anhydrous methanol containing 0.1M LiClO4 forming a precipitate of ferrous methoxide Fe(OCH3)2 on the iron surface. Similar electrochemical corrosion of iron to that in an aqueous solution occurs in anhydrous acetonitrile and dimethylformamide solutions of carboxylic acids. The anodic process of iron corrosion in the anhydrous methanol solution is stimulated by adding complexing agents to form soluble complexes with Fe2+ at the surface. Accelerated corrosion of iron occurs in anhydrous methanol and acetonitrile solutions containing FeCl3 and is suppressed by the addition of adsorption-type corrosion inhibitors effectively.
