Methods and materials systems for enhancing corrosion resistance of solid materials and corrosion resistant devices made therefrom

A method for enhancing corrosion resistance of a heat exchanger, pipe, valve, tank, pump, bearing, or engine component comprising a solid material exposed to a chloride-bearing liquid, the method comprising:

• providing the solid material whose corrosion resistance to the chloride-bearing liquid is desired to be enhanced, the solid material being capable of chemically reacting with a chemical element to form a solid product material that is resistant to corrosion by the chloride-bearing liquid;
• providing the chloride-bearing liquid consisting of a molten chloride salt or a solution of molten chloride salts;
• dissolving in the chloride-bearing liquid a dissolved concentration of the solid product material at an elevated concentration level of at least 1 wt % up to a saturation level of the solid product material in the chloride-bearing liquid;
• forming on a surface of the solid material a solid product layer that contains the solid product material by exposing the solid material to at least one of a gas containing the chemical element or to the chloride-bearing liquid further containing the chemical element;
• and
• using the heat exchanger, pipe, valve, tank, pump, bearing, heat sink, or engine component in an application in which a surface of the solid product layer contacts the chloride-bearing liquid containing the dissolved concentration of the solid product material, the dissolved concentration of the solid product material being maintained in the chloride-bearing liquid at the elevated concentration level, the dissolved concentration of the solid product material contained by the chloride-bearing liquid reducing a thermodynamic driving force for dissolution of the solid product material of the solid product layer.