Measurement of localized corrosion rates at inclusion particles in AA7075 by in situ three dimensional (3D) X-ray synchrotron tomography

In situ X-ray synchrotron tomography was used to measure the localized corrosion rate of Mg2Si particles present in 7075 aluminum alloys in deionized ultra-filtered (DIUF) water. The evolution of hydrogen bubbles was captured as a function of time and the measured volume was used to calculate the local corrosion rate of Mg2Si particles. It was shown that in the absence of chloride ions, stress was needed to create fresh particle surfaces, either by fracture or debonding, to initiate corrosion at the particles.