Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Influence of dichromate ions on corrosion of pure aluminium and AA2024-T3 in NaCl solution studied by AFM scratching

Journal Article · · Journal of the Electrochemical Society
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.1392659· OSTI ID:20013034

The localized corrosion of pure aluminum, AA2024-T3 alloy, and in particular the behavior of the intermetallic particles in AA2024-T3 were studied using a technique of scratching the surface with atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips. In situ AFM scratching provides information regarding the protectiveness of the surface film. Scratching of aluminum by rastering the surface with the AFM tip in contact mode in 0.5M NaCl resulted in accelerated uniform dissolution in the rastered area. Slow pumping of the solution through the AFM cell during scratching, however, resulted in the development of sustained localized corrosion. Scratching in a stagnant 0.5 M NaCl solution containing 10{sup {minus}4} M Na{sub 2}Cr{sub 2}O{sub 7} also resulted in the development of large pits. For higher dichromate concentration (0.005 and 0.05 M), neither accelerated dissolution nor pitting was observed, most probably because of the formation of harder chromium containing surface oxide. AFM scratching of AA2024-T3 in 0.01 M NaCl resulted in the immediate dissolution of the Al-Cu-mg particles because of a destabilization of the surface film during light scratching. The addition of very dilute concentrations of dichromate (10{sup {minus}4} M) to 0.5 M NaCl completely suppressed the corrosion of the Al-Cu-Mg particles during AFM scratching, but breakdown in the matrix occurred in a similar fashion as for pure aluminum. The addition of 0.005 M dichromate to 0.5 M NaCl again suppressed localized breakdown for low applied force during scratching, but pits formed at the Al-Cu-Mg particles at high forces. Higher dichromate concentration (0.05 M) did not completely suppress the localized breakdown at Al-Cu-Mg particles, but the amount and lateral spreading of the dissolution was much smaller.

Research Organization:
Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (US)
OSTI ID:
20013034
Journal Information:
Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Journal Name: Journal of the Electrochemical Society Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 146; ISSN JESOAN; ISSN 0013-4651
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Corrosion study of AA2024-T3 by scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy and in situ atomic force microscopy scratching
Journal Article · Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1998 · Journal of the Electrochemical Society · OSTI ID:653380

Microconstituent-induced pitting corrosion in aluminum alloy 2024-T3
Journal Article · Sun Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1995 · Corrosion · OSTI ID:187036

The influence of dichromate ions on aluminum dissolution kinetics in artificial crevice electrode cells
Journal Article · Sun Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1999 · Journal of the Electrochemical Society · OSTI ID:20003945