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GALVANIC CORROSION
WHY TUNGSTEN CARBIDE CAN SOMETIMES CORRODE IN SEAWATER

1. What is galvanic corrosion?

First, some interesting but not particularly useful information. Galvanic

corrosion is named after Luigi Galvani, who in the late 1700’s discovered that
a bimetallic conductor can be used to make the legs of a dead frog twitch.
This ultimately inspired Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein story, and also led to
Michael Faraday’s discoveries and the successful use in about 1850 of
sacrificial anodes to protect copper and brass components of ships in the
British Navy. This illustrates the nature of galvanic corrosion – it can be a bit of
a monster, but once you get to understand it, it can be tamed.

For galvanic corrosion to occur, two dissimilar metals must be electrically

connected and immersed in electrolyte. The electrolyte can be any acid or salt
solution, even condensation formed in a humid environment. The most
common electrolyte we come across is sea-water. One of the metals becomes
an ‘anode’, and corrodes rapidly. Indeed it corrodes much more rapidly than it
would if the other metal were not present, and it were immersed on its own.
The other metal becomes the cathode, and corrodes slowly if at all. Indeed
the cathode corrodes more slowly than if it were immersed on its own.

2. When does it occur?

To predict whether a pair of metals will form a ‘galvanic couple’, then look up
their positions in a galvanic series. A short table is included at the end of this
note, but fuller listings are available from several sources (see references).
The metal towards the top of the list becomes the anode, and hence suffers
accelerated corrosion. The rate of corrosion depends on several factors:

The further apart the metals are on the galvanic table, the greater the
corrosion rate.

A small area of anode coupled with a large area of cathode concentrates the
effect, and the anode corrodes more rapidly. For example an Aluminium rivet
in a Stainless Steel plate will corrode very rapidly, whereas Aluminium plate
held together by Stainless Steel rivets corrodes slowly. However it is the
Aluminium which corrodes in both cases.

Materials such as Stainless Steels, Nickel and AM350 form a layer on their
surface which inhibits corrosion. Where this layer is present the material is
said to be ‘passive’, if the layer is not present then they are ‘active’. The layer
can be prevented from forming by lack of oxygen, or by abrasion from an O
ring or other component rubbing against the surface, or even by sand
abrasion.

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Stagnant sea-water behaves differently from flowing sea-water due to any

dissolved oxygen being used up by marine bacteria. Separate galvanic series
are published for stagnant and flowing sea-water.

Layers of marine bacteria (slime) can form on some materials, which affects
the galvanic potential and hence the position in the galvanic series. In general
slime makes the material less active.

3. How can it be prevented?

There are several ways to prevent galvanic corrosion. The first choice is
always to use materials chosen to eliminate or reduce the effects. The rivet
example already described illustrates this. A 316L seal in a cast iron or cast
mild steel pump is another example – the 316L is the cathode, and corrodes
more slowly than it would on a 316L pump. The corrosion rate of the iron
pump body is increased, but since it is relatively thick and has a large surface
area the increase is negligible.

SiC and Alumina Ceramic seal faces are non-metallic, and hence unaffected
by galvanic corrosion. Carbon faces consist of graphite and phenolic resin,
and can be considered to be non-metallic for our purposes.

Another method is the ‘sacrificial anode’. A third metal is introduced which is

further up the galvanic series than either of the original couple. This third
metal then corrodes in preference to the other two. The original anode
material is protected, and corrodes less than if it were on its own. Zinc is often
used as a sacrificial anode, by simply bolting a lump of it onto the structure.
N.B. To the author’s knowledge this technique has never been tried by
AESSEAL, and must be discussed with Tech dept and the customer before
any attempt is made use it.

Coatings can be used to reduce galvanic corrosion. Hot-dip zinc galvanising is

very effective, and is effectively a sacrificial anode. Each 0.001” (0.025 mm) of
coating protects steel for about a year. Paint and other polymer coatings can
work, but any damage or scratches to the coating concentrate corrosion on a
small area and can lead to rapid failure. Other methods used include
electrically isolating components using insulating sleeves & washers, and
cathodic protection (where a voltage is applied to the metals to negate their
natural galvanic potential). Coating methods are generally impractical for use
with standard mechanical seals.

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4. So what does this mean for mechanical seals?

Here are some things to bear in mind:

The seal is bolted to the pump (or equipment), and set-screws connect it to
the shaft. Since the shaft is often made from a different material to the body,
both must be considered. Other components such as the impeller, wear rings
and pipe-work are also in electrical contact with the seal.

Seal faces are electrically connected to the seal body by the drive pins, even
if otherwise insulated by an O ring mount. The seal faces are hence in
electrical contact with the body of the pump.

Surfaces under O rings and between seal faces are unlikely to develop a
reliable passivation layer, and must be considered to be in an ‘active’ state in
these areas. Abrasion from sand in the seawater can strip any passive layer
from wetted areas.

Galvanic corrosion can occur between an active and a passive 316L surface,
even on the same component. It is the active surface which corrodes. This
can lead to material loss under O rings, etc.

Tungsten Carbide (TC) seal faces include metallic Nickel as a binder. Whilst
the TC does not corrode the Nickel can, leaving the TC particles in place but
with nothing to hold them together. Where affected, the TC becomes matt
grey in colour, and loses its strength. It may easily chip or even crumble. The
effect is usually greater on the rotary face, which has 10% Ni binder. The
stationary face has 6% Ni binder, and the Ni is perhaps shielded better by the
TC particle matrix. Whilst not immune, the stationary face of an affected seal
tends to be in better condition than the rotary face. Seal life can be extended
by fitting two faces in 6% Ni material, but this is a slowing-down of the
problem rather than a cure.

With reference to the galvanic series, Nickel in its active or passive states will
corrode in the presence of passive 316L. Since the area of 316L in the seal
body is greater than that of the TC faces, the corrosion rate will be increased.
If the pump components are also in 316L in a passive state, the extra area will
further accelerate Ni corrosion. However where the 316L surface is in an
active state, perhaps due to sand abrasion, then it is the 316L which will
corrode, but at a slower rate due to the relative areas.

In summary, use TC faces with great care in sea-water applications.

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5. How to specify a sea-water seal

Seal Metallurgy
Care is needed in selecting seal materials to ensure that the most active
material is NOT a part of the seal. Sea-water pumps may be manufactured
from cast iron, cast steel, stainless (e.g. AISI 316) or duplex stainless (e.g.
AISI 317 or DIN 1.4462). A combination may be used, e.g. cast iron body,
316L shaft, cast 316 impeller. A cast iron or cast steel pump bowl is perhaps
the best for our purposes, since cast iron is quite near the top of the table, and
hence acts as a sacrificial anode making corrosion of the seal less likely.
Where the pump is made from duplex stainless then this is near the bottom of
the table. To avoid the seal ending up as the anode, which will then corrode,
use duplex stainless metallurgy (Din 1.4462) and SiC faces.
Please remember that seawater is corrosive in its own right, and this must be
considered as well as the galvanic corrosion aspects. 316L is generally OK
when immersed in cool sea-water, but when exposed to warmer sea-water
above 25 °C or when used where it is alternately wetted and dried (e.g. by the
tide or by splashed sea-water) then it can suffer pitting and crevice corrosion.

Seal Faces
SiC, Carbon and Alumina Ceramic are not conductive metals, and will not
suffer from or contribute to galvanic corrosion. These may be used where
suitable when the other usual factors such as abrasives, etc have been taken
into account. A Chrome Oxide (ChOx) face can be considered as a 316L
component, and may be used where 316 metallurgy is acceptable.
Tungsten Carbide faces can be used on cool sea-water, where the pump has
a cast-iron or cast steel volute. If the pump is all stainless construction, TC
should only be used where experience on that particular pump shows it to be
suitable. TC faces should not be used where the pump and/or seal metallurgy
includes Duplex materials, Alloy 20 or Alloy 276.

O rings, etc.
Viton is the first choice, up to around 60 °C. Above that temperature, EPR or
Aflas can be used (see AESSEAL software suite). AF1 is a suitable gasket
material.

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6. Summary of seal specifications:

Default choice for Ambient temperature sea-water (<60°C):

Sea-water (clean): CURC Car/SiC Viton, Din 1.4462 (or SMSS)

Sea-water (sand/silt present): CURC SiC/SiC Viton, Din 1.4462 (or SMSS)

Exceptions:

Where pump has cast iron or cast steel volute then 316 seal construction and
Tungsten Carbide (TC) seal face(s) may be used.
Do NOT use TC face(s) with Din 1.4462, Alloy 20 or Alloy 276 seal
construction.
Do NOT use 316 seal construction where water temperature is above 25°C.

Where pump has all AISI 316 (or similar) stainless wetted parts then 316 seal
construction may be used.
Do NOT use 316 seal construction where water temperature is above 25°C.

Where pump has all AISI 316 (or similar) stainless wetted parts then Tungsten
Carbide (TC) seal face(s) may be used BUT ONLY IF previous experience on
the application shows it to be suitable.
Do NOT use TC face(s) with Din 1.4462, Alloy 20 or Alloy 276 seal
construction.

Where shock-loading or excessive cavitation are expected then SiC seal

faces may not be suitable. Contact AESSEAL Technical Dept.

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7. ABBREVIATED GALVANIC SERIES

Most active (ANODIC)

Magnesium
Magnesium Alloys
Zinc
Aluminium Alloys
Cadmium
Cast Irons
AISI 430 (active)
AISI 410 (active)
AISI 304 (active)
AISI 316 (active)
Naval Brass
Nickel (active)
AISI 316L (active)
Copper
Bronze
Nickel (passive)
AISI 410 (passive)
AISI 304 (passive)
AISI 316 (passive)
AISI 316L (passive)
Alloy 20 (passive)
Titanium Alloys
AM350 (passive)
Inconel 625
Alloy 276
Silver
Gold
Platinum
Graphite

Least Active (CATHODIC)

For more detail on the galvanic series, see:

corrosion.ksc.nasa.gov/html/galcorr.htm
www.eaa1000.av.org/technicl/corrosion/galvanic.htm
www.mcnallyinstitute.com/CDweb/g-html/g001.htm
www.corrosion-doctors.org/Aircraft/galvdefi.htm
www.ocean.udel.edu/mas/masnotes/corrosion.pdf

Chris Booth
Version 1 - 12th July 2004

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