Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were easily and efficiently decorated with Pd nanoparticles through a vapor-phase impregnation-decomposition method starting from palladium acetylacetonates. The sensor device consisted on a film of sensitive material (MWCNTs-Pd) deposited by drop coating on platinum interdigitated electrodes on a SiO₂ substrate. The sensor exhibited a resistance change to ozone (O₃) with a response time of 60 s at different temperatures and the capability of detecting concentrations up to 20 ppb. The sensor shows the best response when exposed to O₃ at 120 °C. The device shows a very reproducible sensor performance, with high repeatability, full recovery and efficient response.

This study presents, for the first time, the mechanical behavior of API 5L pipeline steels X42, X52, X60, X70, X80, and X100 with external and internal corrosion defects as well as a combination of both defects that has been named external–internal corrosion defects. The conventional methods to predict failure pressure in corroded pipes, such as B31G, RSTRENG-1, SHELL, DNV-99, PCORRC, and FITNET FFS, have also been discussed in this article. In addition, pipeline failure pressure has been estimated using the finite element method, considering that it is the best approach to calculate actual failure pressure. The external and internal corrosion defect investigated in this research manifests as a rectangular shape with spherical ends at the edges. When the external–internal corrosion defect appears, failure pressure data decrease dramatically because of severe damage. This is due to the decrease in the ligament (effective area) caused by the corrosion defect. To have a good estimation of the pipeline failure pressure with an external–internal corrosion defect, DNV-99 method can be used with acceptable certainty.

In this study, failure pressure prediction was conducted in a pipeline with localized corrosion in base metal (BM), heat-affected zone (HAZ), and welding bead (WB) by finite element (FE) analysis. In the gas pipeline industry, there are methods (B31G, RESTRENGH, Shell, DNV, PCORR, and Fitnet FFS) and authors' approaches (Choi and Cronin) to determine the failure pressure. However, one disadvantage of these methods is that their equations do not consider damage corrosion at the HAZ or WB. They consider corrosion only in the BM. The corrosion shape is rectangular with a radius at the edges. In this study, the corrosion defect depth (d) was varied. The corrosion defect length (L) and the corrosion defect width (W) were equal. A type of rectangular corrosion defect with a radius at the edges in the longitudinal and circumferential directions was proposed. True stress–strain curves for BM, HAZ, and WB of an API 5 L X52 were introduced in the FE program. The results show that the pressure decreases as d, L, and W increase. This is because the damage corrosion is more severe as it grows, which causes the failure pressure to decrease.

The stochastic nature of the thickness of boride layers formed on carbon steel is described in this paper. Additionally, the probability distribution of the layer thickness is studied to determine the best-fit probability distribution. The study combines the use of an empirical model (power-law) and the Markov chain principles, with the purpose of demonstrating that it is feasible to develop a model that represents the non-uniformity of the thickness of boride layers that form on carbon steel. The results indicate that the mean and variance tend to increase when the time or temperature is increased. The findings of this paper demonstrate that an analytical solution to the Kolmogorov’s system differential equation can adequately represent the behavior of non-uniform boride layer formed on low-carbon steel, regardless of the temperature or duration of treatment.

The mechanical behavior of API 5L X52 steel with planar type laminations was studied in the present work. Planar laminations were proposed in the base metal (BM), heat affected zone (HAZ) and welding bead (WB). Three-dimensional finite element (FE) models, kinematic hardening and mechanical properties for BM, HAZ, and WB were activated in the finite element program. The results showed that crack propagation corresponds to the direction of the main stress. For a crack length (2a) of 10.01 mm, crack propagation may occur at the right crack tip towards the outer wall of the BM. For 2a of 15.12 mm, crack propagation was located on the right crack tip and propagates to the inner wall. For 2a of 17.12 mm, crack propagation was observed at the left crack tip and propagates to the outer wall in the BM. The results achieved by FEM agree when compared with real laminations in API 5L pipelines.

The most economical way to move liquids and gaseous hydrocarbons is by using pipelines. According to several international organizations and oil companies, the use of fossil fuels will continue in the following decades. For this reason, it is important to continue studying different corrosion mechanisms and their origins. One of the mechanisms that provoke small leaks, affecting pipeline hermeticity, is pitting corrosion. It is well-known that non-metallic inclusion dissolution can trigger pit nucleation. As pitting corrosion is recognized to be random in nature, it is also interesting to study the random nature of the inclusions present in API 5L X60 steel. Probability distributions commonly used to describe pitting corrosion characteristics are appropriate for studying inclusion characteristics. The size of inclusions plays a key role in pit nucleation because small inclusions tend to generate more defects, especially when these inclusions are compounds of MnS, and the steel is immersed in a corrosive solution. The results of this research work show that there is a close relationship between the random nature of pitting corrosion and inclusions.