Corrosion Behavior of Metallic Materials in Ethanol Fuels
Summary
The adoption of ethanol as a renewable transport fuel has intensified investigation into its compatibility with metallic infrastructure and components. Ethanol’s hygroscopic nature promotes water uptake, which together with dissolved contaminants such as chlorides and organic acids, creates an aggressive electrochemical environment. Alloy composition, microstructure and protective surface films critically influence corrosion resistance. Aluminium alloys, carbon steels and stainless steels each exhibit distinct degradation patterns in ethanolic media, ranging from uniform attack under charge-transfer control to highly localised pitting and stress corrosion cracking. Temperature, ethanol concentration and the presence of water or chlorides modulate reaction kinetics, passive film stability and pit initiation. Practical applications encompass fuel storage tanks, distribution pipelines and flexible-fuel vehicle engines, where material failure can compromise safety and economic viability. Current research targets fundamental mechanisms, advanced characterisation and the development of novel coatings or alloy treatments to extend component life and support the global transition to biofuels.
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Corrosion Behavior of Metallic Materials in Ethanol Fuels publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in corrosion behavior of metallic materials in ethanol fuels across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Passive film: A thin, adherent oxide layer that forms on a metal surface and impedes further corrosion.
Pitting corrosion: Localised breakdown of the passive film resulting in small, often deep, cavities or “pits.”
Potentiodynamic polarization: An electrochemical technique in which the electrode potential is swept and the resulting current is measured to characterise corrosion kinetics.
Stress corrosion cracking: The combined action of tensile stress and a corrosive environment leading to brittle fracture of a normally ductile metal.
References
- Corrosion Behavior of Al in Ethanol–Gasoline Blends. Energies (2020).
- Influence of ethanol, acidity and chloride concentration on the corrosion resistance of AISI 316L stainless steel. Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society (2013).
- A comparative study on the corrosion behaviour of welded and un-welded API 5L X70 steel in simulated fuel grade ethanol. Cogent Engineering (2021).
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