Dependence on Temperature, pH, and Cl− in the Uniform Corrosion of Aluminum Alloys 2024-T3, 6061-T6, and 7075-T6

With regards to localized corrosion, the role of uniform corrosion of aluminum alloys has not always been accounted for in the past. The impact of uniform corrosion on aluminum alloys 2024-T3, 6061-T6, and 7075-T6 is studied here to provide quantitative evidence of its importance. Preliminary weight loss experiments combined with optical profilometry (OP) indicate that corrosion attributed to uniform corrosion is very significant when compared to localized corrosion. A series of free immersion tests were conducted to understand the influence of environmental variables including temperature (20, 40, 60, 80 °C), initial pH without buffering (3, 5, 8, 10) and chloride concentration (0.01, 0.1, 1 M) for 1, 7, and 30 days. With time, uniform corrosion results exhibited a strong dependence on temperature accompanied by variable pH- and temperature-dependent corrosion product formation. Electrochemical approaches including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cathodic polarization were utilized to characterize the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and corrosion product formation as a function of temperature. Electron microscopy was conducted to assess the microstructure and morphology of corrosion products and provide supporting evidence for electrochemical findings.