The Effect of Dissolved CO2 and O2 on the Corrosion of Iron

Reports concerning the effects of dissolved carbon dioxide on the corrosion of iron have ranged from “no effect” to a catalytic mechanism for the observed corrosion processes. Pedagogical references indicate that dissolved carbon dioxide is benign towards iron corrosion. Contrary to this, our results suggest that carbon dioxide does indeed play an active role in the corrosion of iron much as chloride and other aggressive ions. Visual, spectral, and electrochemical results all support the significance of the effect of dissolved carbon dioxide on the corrosion of iron.