Corrosion Behavior of 304 Stainless Steel During Three-Year Atmospheric Field Exposure in Antarctica

Three-year atmospheric field-exposure tests were conducted on 304 austenitic stainless steel at the Great Wall and Zhongshan Stations in Antarctica to evaluate its corrosion behavior under severe polar conditions. The exposed specimens were dominated by localized corrosion with pronounced pitting characteristics at both sites. Corrosion was more severe at Zhongshan Station, and the mean corrosion rates at Great Wall and Zhongshan Stations were 1.428 and 1.643 μm y−1, respectively. The mean/maximum pit depths were 4.16/5.51 μm at Great Wall Station and 5.85/8.24 μm at Zhongshan Station. Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), and focused ion beam-transmission electron microscopy (FIB-TEM) showed that the corrosion products consisted mainly of β-FeOOH, α-FeOOH, and γ-Fe2O3, and the Antarctic exposure substantially altered the thickness, structure, and electrochemical response of the passive film. Compared with the unexposed specimen, the exposed specimens exhibited markedly lower charge-transfer resistance and higher donor density, indicating degradation of the protective passive film. Combined with the site-specific environmental features, the lower temperature, more intense freeze–thaw cycling, freezing-induced concentration of electrolytes, and stronger irradiation at Zhongshan Station are inferred to promote Cl− enrichment in localized surface liquid films and destabilization of the passive film, thereby accelerating pit initiation and growth. These findings provide a mechanistic basis for material selection and corrosion-protection design for 304 stainless steel in polar engineering environments.