CORROSIVE WEAR OF CHROMIUM AND STEEL IN TEXTILE MACHINERY

Abrasion of chromium-plated and steel guides in yarn-handling equipment was studied by electrochemical methods. In the presence of emulsions similar to those used in textile finishing, drawing a TiO2-pigmented yarn over the guides caused a decrease in rest potentials. This effect, which may be attributed to continual rupture of the protective oxide film, indicates that, in principle, corrosion may contribute to the abrasive process. This corrosion, or, more precisely, corrosive wear, was studied by wear rate measurements at different potentials which were controlled potentiostatically. At lower potentials, where the metal is cathodically protected, the wear rates were found to be independent of potential. In following the potentials towards higher values in one of the two textile emulsions used, an increase in wear rate was found at a potential corresponding to the reaction metal-metal oxide. At higher potentials, where the corrosion reaction may occur, the wear rates in this emulsion reached a constant higher level almost twice the wear rate level below the characteristic potential. The difference between the two levels represents the rate of corrosive wear. With the aid of some model emulsions it was shown that the rate of corrosive wear depends primarily on specific conductance, a higher conductance leading to more corrosive wear. Anionic and non-ionic emulsifiers were found to have inhibitive properties, but cationic surfactants did not exert any influence on corrosive wear. © 1969.