Atmospheric corrosion of copper in a rural atmosphere

Journal Article · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1995 · Journal of the Electrochemical Society

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2048399· OSTI ID:153689

Odnevall, I; Leygraf, C ^[1]

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1. Royal Inst. of Tech., Stockholm (Sweden). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering

A field exposure program has been implemented in a rural atmosphere with the primary aim of studying the corrosion mechanisms of sheltered copper. Emphasis has been placed upon the initial corrosion behavior after days, weeks, and months. Two starting dates, one in October and one in April, with different environmental characteristics have been studied. By using a multianalytical approach combined with environmental characterizations, a picture of the corrosion processes has emerged. Initially, a film of cuprite (Cu{sub 2}O) is formed. The rate and growth depends mainly on the relative humidity levels. Due to deposition of sulfur containing species in the atmosphere, mainly ammonium sulfate, noncrystalline copper sulfate precipitates after days or weeks of exposure which gradually transforms into crystalline posnjakite (Cu{sub 4}SO{sub 4}(OH){sub 6}{center_dot}H{sub 2}O) within months of exposure.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 153689
• Journal Information: Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Journal Name: Journal of the Electrochemical Society Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 142; ISSN 0013-4651; ISSN JESOAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
AIR POLLUTION
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COPPER
COPPER OXIDES
COPPER SULFATES
CORROSION
CORROSION PRODUCTS
CORROSIVE EFFECTS
HYDRATES
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
TIME DEPENDENCE