Co-operative corrosion phenomena

The corrosion of aluminium alloy 2024-T3 (AA2024-T3) was studied as a function of immersion time from 2.5 to 120 min in 0.1 M aqueous NaCl solution. At immersion times as short as 5 min, rings of corrosion product of 100 to 200 μm diameter, containing smaller domes of corrosion product, were observed using SEM. The domes of corrosion product had greater chloride concentrations than elsewhere on the surface and represented sites of anodic attack. As the immersion time was increased, significant grain boundary attack was observed within the rings of corrosion product. Analyses of Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) maps of the corroded surfaces showed a significantly higher number of IM particles around the chloride attack sites than the average particle density for the maps, indicating clustering of IM particles. These results suggest a co-operative corrosion effect as a result of clustering of the IM particles. A mechanism for the generation of the corrosion rings is discussed.