``Long-life`` aluminium brazing alloys for automotive radiators -- a ten-year retrospective
- Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corp., Pleasanton, CA (United States)
A class of corrosion-resistant brazing sheet materials, generally referred to as ``long-life alloys,`` has been in widespread use in brazed aluminum automobile radiators for over ten years. K319 tube material was initially introduced in 1986 to address the problem of road-salt-induced, outside-in corrosion of tubes in vacuum-brazed aluminum radiators, The development history, metallurgy, and field performance of long-life radiator brazing sheet are reviewed. This material utilizes the familiar sacrificial layer concept to improve corrosion resistance; however, it is unusual in that the layer is not introduced by conventional cladding means during sheet manufacture, but rather develops in situ by metallurgical transformations which occur during the brazing cycle. The sacrificial layer, about 25 mV anodic to the core alloy, increases by an order of magnitude the time-to-perforation of radiator tube sheet tested in cyclic acidified salt spray (SWAAT), which mimics the corrosion morphology observed in the field. Radiators examined after ten years of field service show excellent corrosion resistance, as predicted by SWAAT.
- OSTI ID:
- 352604
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-980316-; TRN: IM9928%%198
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Corrosion `98, San Diego, CA (United States), 22-27 Mar 1998; Other Information: PBD: 1998; Related Information: Is Part Of Corrosion `98: 53. annual conference and exposition, proceedings; PB: [6600] p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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