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Corrosion behavior of AISI 1045 carbon steel in simulated marine, acidic, and agricultural environments

  • Dr. Meltem Eryildiz, born in 1987, is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Istanbul Beykent University, Turkey, specializing in additive manufacturing and polymer composites.

     ORCID logo EMAIL logo     and

    Yasemin Bayhan, born in 2002, is an undergraduate Mechanical Engineering student at Istanbul Beykent University, aims to pursue an academic career in the field of materials science.
Published/Copyright: March 19, 2026
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Materials Testing
From the journal Materials Testing

Abstract

This study investigates the corrosion behavior of AISI 1045 medium-carbon steel under three simulated corrosive environments: marine (NaCl), acidic (H2SO4), and agricultural (NH4Cl). Tensile specimens were exposed for varying durations (1 and 5 days) and evaluated through corrosion rate measurements, surface hardness testing, tensile testing, and surface/fracture morphology analysis. The highest corrosion rate (7.41 mm·a−1) was recorded after 1 day of exposure to H2SO4 which rapidly deteriorated mechanical properties due to aggressive acid attack and hydrogen-induced embrittlement. In contrast, NaCl exposure caused significant localized corrosion and a pronounced reduction in hardness (∼70 %), while NH4Cl exposure resulted in moderate and more uniform degradation. Tensile strength, elastic modulus, and ductility declined in all corroded specimens, correlating closely with fracture morphology and surface deterioration. These findings highlight the vulnerability of AISI 1045 steel to diverse environmental conditions and emphasize the need for protective strategies in service applications.

Keywords: AISI 1045 carbon steel; corrosion resistance; simulated marine environment; simulated acidic environment; simulated agricultural environment
Corresponding author: Meltem Eryildiz, Istanbul Beykent University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Istanbul, Türkiye, E-mail:

About the authors

Meltem Eryildiz

Dr. Meltem Eryildiz, born in 1987, is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Istanbul Beykent University, Turkey, specializing in additive manufacturing and polymer composites.

Yasemin Bayhan

Yasemin Bayhan, born in 2002, is an undergraduate Mechanical Engineering student at Istanbul Beykent University, aims to pursue an academic career in the field of materials science.

  1. Research ethics: Not applicable.

  2. Informed consent: Not applicable.

  3. Author contributions: The authors have accepted full responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved its submission to the journal. Yasemin Bayhan identified the research topic, conducted the literature review, performed the experimental studies, and prepared the original draft of the manuscript. Meltem Eryildiz provided academic supervision, contributed to the experimental planning and design, and was responsible for the critical review and editing of the manuscript.

  4. Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.

  5. Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest.

  6. Research funding: None declared.

  7. Data availability: Not applicable.

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Published Online: 2026-03-19

© 2026 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

https://doi.org/10.1515/mt-2025-0321
Keywords for this article
AISI 1045 carbon steel; corrosion resistance; simulated marine environment; simulated acidic environment; simulated agricultural environment
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