COPPER SULFATE TEST ON FAILURE SAMPLE

About the Test:

Stainless steels are specified for their excellent corrosion resistance in a variety
of environments. Following metalworking, particularly welding, it is common to
process the parts through a passivation process in order to fully restore the
corrosion resistance inherent with the stainless steels. Passivation is
accomplished by immersion in nitric or citric acids in order to re-establish the
chromium oxide layer on the metal surface, and dissolve and remove any iron
from the surface or weld areas.

As mentioned, passivation is commonly performed on welded stainless parts

since even a perfectly good weld will have some areas in it that solidify as delta
ferrite. This is essentially pure iron (or iron with a very low solubility limit for
carbon) that solidifies at elevated temperature in the weld zone. This phase does
not have the corrosion resistance that the balance of the surrounding stainless
steel does and needs to be removed in order to restore the corrosion resistance
of the welded component to its starting condition. Either of the acids is effective
at dissolving this free iron that may remain on the surface.

The copper sulfate test is done following the passivation process in order to
detect even very low levels of iron (delta ferrite or similar phase) that may
remain. The copper exists in ionic form in an acid solution (Cu+2), and, due to
the driving force of electrochemical thermodynamics, whatever iron is present
will dissolve, releasing two electrons that are picked up by the cuprous ion that
then plate onto the surface. The two half and overall reactions are shown below.

Cu+2(aq) + 2e- -> Cu(s) E = 0.337V

Fe(s) -> Fe+2(aq) + 2e- E = 0.440V
Fe(s) + Cu+2(aq) -> Fe+2(aq) + Cu(s) E = 0.777V
The seemingly complex electrochemical equations result in a simple-to-use and
effective method to validate that the passivation process has removed the free
iron at the surface using a clear visual indicator. The presence of any iron will
result in discrete areas of copper plating. This may not always be a bright, well-
adherent copper deposit, but may also be darker.
RESULTS:
Results we got from Copper sulfate Test are as below:
Visual Photographs before the Tests:

Visual Photographs after the Tests:

Conclusion:
As observed from the after the test assessment the is Not any Free Iron particles
observed on the outer surface of the Pipe neither any free iron particles found at
the inner surface of the pipe.
After swabbing the outer surface of the pipe from copper sulfate solution for
6mins we haven’t found any copper deposits which indicates that there are no
free irons particles on the outer & inner surface of the pipe which could initiate
the corrosion phenomena.