Aluminium and its alloys Aluminium corrosion Atmospheric corrosion of aluminium Corrosion in water The action of mineral products The action of organic products The effect of different environments appendices

Corrosion of Aluminium

Aluminium is the second most often used metal after steel. In this paper, the most current uses of aluminium alloys are first summarised. Then, their different corrosion modes, i.e. pitting, crevice, filiform, galvanic and structural corrosion (including inter-granular, exfoliation and stress corrosion cracking) are reviewed, with particular attention paid to metallurgical factors controlling the corrosion process. For each mode, some instances of possible in-service failure are given, followed by the discussion of the involved mechanisms and the presentation of appropriate solutions to prevent corrosion. Last, passivity and polarisation behaviour are discussed with reference to stainless steels.

Metallurgical aspects of corrosion resistance of aluminium alloys

Chapter B.2 – Types of Corrosion on Aluminium

The corrosion fatigue crack growth characteristics of small (less than 35 microns) surface and corner cracks in aluminum alloy 7075 is established. The early stage of crack growth is studied by performing in situ long focal length microscope (500X) crack length measurements in laboratory air and 1% NaCl environments. To quantify the "small crack effect" in the corrosive environment, the corrosion fatigue crack propagation behavior of small cracks is compared to long through-the-thickness cracks grown under identical experimental conditions. In salt water, long crack constant K(sub max) growth rates are similar to small crack da/dN.

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The Growth of Small Corrosion Fatigue Cracks in Alloy 7075

— The corrosion fatigue crack growth characteristics of small surface and corner cracks in aluminium alloy 2024 is established. The damaging effect of salt water on the early stages of small crack growth is characterized by: (1) crack initiation at constituent particle pits, (2) intergranular microcracking for a≤100μm, and (3) transgranular small crack growth for a≥100μm. In aqueous 1% NaCl and at a constant anodic potential of −700 mVSCE, small cracks exhibit a factor of three increase in fatigue crack growth rates compared to laboratory air. Small cracks exhibit accelerated corrosion fatigue crack growth rates at low levels of ΔK (< 1 MPa√m) below the long crack ΔKth value. When exposed to Paris regime levels of crack tip stress intensity, small corrosion fatigue cracks exhibit growth rates similar to that observed for long cracks. Similar small and long crack growth behavior at various levels of R suggest that crack closure effects influence the corrosion fatigue crack growth rates of small cracks for a≥100 μm. Contrary to the corrosion fatigue characteristics of small cracks in high strength steels, no pronounced chemical crack length effect is observed for alloy 2024 exposed to salt water.

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DO Sprowls

Papers

Significance of Intergranular Corrosion in High-Strength Aluminum Alloy Products