Influence of high magnetic field on the corrosion of carbon steel

An experimental study of the corrosion pattern of steel exposed to intense magnetic fields is reported. Experiments were performed on two different shaped surfaces, cylinders and grooves. Uniform magnetic fields of up to 10 T were applied to these samples. Non-uniform corrosion patterns on the steel cylinder surface were observed. Further, when the magnetic field was applied parallel to the plane of the groove, it was found that the corrosion increased on the inside of the groove. In addition, the interpretation of the corrosion pattern is supported by an experiment using aerobic bacteria (i.e., escherichia colis). The relationship between the corrosion pattern and a magnetic field gradient near the steel is discussed.