Structure, properties and corrosion resistance of PM composite materials based on EN AW-2124 aluminum alloy reinforced with the Al2O3 ceramic particles

As an example, hardness increased from 89.27 HV1 for the material without the reinforcing phase to 123.4 HV1 for 15% Al2O3, and the ultimate compressive strength decreases along with the increase of the reinforcing phase fraction from 798 MPa for 5% to 663 MPa for 15% Al2O3. Results of the corrosion tests, determined using the potentiodynamic method in the 3% water solution of NaCl indicate that corrosion of the investigated composite materials depends on the volume fraction of the reinforcing particles. It was found out, based on the determined anode polarisation curves that the investigated materials are susceptible to pitting corrosion. Moreover, investigation results indicate that the composite materials reinforced with the ceramic particles with the portions of 5 and 10% are characteristic of a higher corrosion resistance in the selected environment, compared to the matrix material, whereas at the 15% portion this resistance it worse, the anode digestion current grows.