2003 Volume 52 Issue 1 Pages 44-52
In order to understand corrosion of metals in nitric acid solutions, it is necessary to know the generation mechanism of high equilibrium potential in the solutions, especially under boiling conditions. Existing nitrogen oxides in nitric acid solutions were first analyzed by Raman spectroscopy and then existing amount of nitrogen oxides were examined by thermodynamic calculation using the SOLGASMIX software. The Raman spectroscopic analysis showed that the existing amount of un-dissociated HNO3 increased with increasing nitric acid concentration and solution temperature. The existing amount of NO2 also increased by thermal decomposition. The thermodynamic calculation showed that the important nitrogen oxides in nitric acid solutions are HNO3, NO3-, HNO2, NO2, and NO. The equilibrium potential of nitric acid solutions is, however, mainly decided by the HNO3/HNO2 equilibrium. The thermodynamic calculation also suggested that the increased oxidization potential on the heat-transfer surface is attributed to the reduction of nitrous acid concentration by the thermal decomposition of nitrous acid on the surface and the continuous removal of decomposition product from the solutions by boiling bubbles.
