Why doesn’t Carbon Steel corrode in Dead Sea water?
One of the major concerns about carbon steel is that it can corrode easily when exposed to water or moisture. Surprisingly, carbon steel does not corrode in Dead Sea water, which has a salinity level of 34.2%, almost ten times saltier than regular seawater.
The Dead Sea, located between Jordan and Israel, is known for its high salinity, which raises the question of why carbon steel does not corrode in this environment.
The high salinity of the Dead Sea is primarily due to its low water content and high levels of dissolved minerals, such as sodium chloride, magnesium, and potassium. While saltwater is known to be corrosive to metals, the high levels of minerals in the Dead Sea actually make the water less corrosive to carbon steel.
This is because the minerals in the water form a protective layer on the surface of the metal, which prevents corrosion from occurring.
Furthermore, the high levels of calcium and magnesium ions in the Dead Sea water promote the formation of calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate on the surface of the carbon steel. These compounds act as a barrier to further corrosion, providing additional protection to the metal.
An example of this phenomenon can be seen in the corrosion behavior of carbon steel in seawater versus Dead Sea water. Studies have shown that carbon steel corrodes at a much slower rate in Dead Sea water compared to seawater, which contains lower levels of dissolved minerals. This demonstrates how the unique composition of the Dead Sea water can actually protect carbon steel from corrosion, rather than accelerate it.
