High strength copper nickel -- Optimization of mechanical strength and marine corrosion resistance for use in naval architecture and offshore oil and gas

Book · Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1996

OSTI ID:272016

Tuck, C D.S.; Bendall, K C ^[1]; Radford, G W.J.; Campbell, S A ^[2]; Grylls, R J ^[3]

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1. Langley Alloys Ltd., Maidenhead (United Kingdom)
2. Univ. of Portsmouth (United Kingdom). Dept. of Chemistry
3. Univ. of Birmingham (United Kingdom). Dept of Metallurgy and Materials

Copper nickel alloys which are able to harden by precipitation reactions involving aluminum are described. The main precipitation species is Ni{sub 3}Al present as 10 mn--15 nm size particles, and strengths above 750 N/mm{sup 2} proof stress have been achieved. Two such alloys have been commercialized and they demonstrate higher corrosion resistance to marine environments than standard cupronickels, most probably due to the passivating influence of aluminum. The reaction of one of these alloys with sodium chloride both with and without the presence of sulfides has been studied, using weight loss, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and these techniques indicate a greater degree of passivity for this alloy than for copper or standard cupronickels in sulfide environments. The age-hardenable cupronickels also display complete freedom from hydrogen embrittlement and resistance to biofouling. Service experience with these high strength copper-nickel alloys for highly loaded critical components in naval shipbuilding and offshore oil and gas application is discussed.

• OSTI ID: 272016
• Report Number(s): CONF-960389--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
42 ENGINEERING
AGE HARDENING
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
BIOLOGICAL FOULING
COMPILED DATA
COPPER BASE ALLOYS
CORROSION RESISTANCE
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
CORROSIVE EFFECTS
CRACK PROPAGATION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
IMAGES
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
METALLOGRAPHY
NICKEL ALLOYS
OFFSHORE PLATFORMS
PASSIVATION
PRECIPITATION HARDENING
SEAWATER
SHIPS
STRESS CORROSION
SULFIDES