Experimental investigation of the corrosion behavior of Q235 steel in ethanol-gasoline blends

The promotion of ethanol gasoline aims to reduce exhaust pollutant emissions. However, this process faces challenges, including high corrosion rates and susceptibility to stratification. This study investigates the corrosion behavior of Q235 steel in ethanol-gasoline blends (EGBs) with varying concentrations of water and simulated corrosion solution (SL). The research employs electrochemical measurements, and surface analysis techniques (SEM-EDS, AFM, XPS) to evaluate the corrosion products and mechanisms. The results show that after soaking for 7 days in E50 containing a corrosive medium, the Q235 steel surface developed obvious corrosion pits, with greater corrosion observed in the SL-containing solution. The corrosion phenomena in both media are governed by charge transfer mechanisms, primarily controlled by the anodic reaction. Additionally, the adsorption energies of oxygen and sulfur atoms on the Fe (110) surface are −10.25 eV and −4.68 eV, respectively, and the oxidation corrosion products of iron are more stable than those of sulfides.