In situ corrosion analysis of Al-Zn-In-Mg-Ti-Ce sacrificial anode alloy

The corrosion behaviour of Al-5Zn-0.02In-1Mg-0.05Ti-0.5Ce (wt.%) alloy has been investigated by immersion test, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray detector, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and electrochemical noise. The results show that there exist different corrosion types of the alloy in 3.5% NaCl solution with the immersion time. At the initial stage of immersion, pitting due to the precipitates predominates the corrosion with a typical inductive loop at low frequencies in electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The major precipitates of the alloy are MgZn2 and Al2CeZn2 particles. The corrosion potentials of the bulk MgZn2 and Al2CeZn2 alloys are negative with respect to that of α-Al, so the MgZn2 and Al2CeZn2 precipitates can act as activation centre and cause the pitting. In the late corrosion, a relative uniform corrosion predominates the corrosion process controlled by the dissolution/precipitation of the In ions and characterized by a capacitive loop at medium-high frequencies in electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The potential noise of the pitting shows larger amplitude fluctuation and lower frequency, but the potential noise of the uniform corrosion occurs with smaller amplitude fluctuation and higher frequency.