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Title: Corrosion behavior of binary titanium aluminide intermetallics

Journal Article · · Corrosion
DOI:https://doi.org/10.5006/1.3292153· OSTI ID:276610
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL (United States). Dept. of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

The corrosion behavior of arc-melted binary titanium aluminide intermetallics TiAl, Ti{sub 2}Al, and TiAl{sub 3} in aqueous sodium sulfate and sodium chloride solutions was measured and compared to that of pure Ti and Al. Effects of electrolyte composition (e.g., sulfate [0.25 M SO{sub 4}{sup 2}{sup {minus}}], chloride [0.1 to 1.0 M Cl{sup {minus}}], and pH [3 to 10]) were examined. Anodic polarization of titanium aluminides in aqueous SO{sub 4}{sup 2}{sup {minus}} solutions was similar (showing passive behavior), but no pitting or pitting potential (E{sub pit}) was observed. In aqueous NaCl, however, titanium aluminides were susceptible to pitting, and E{sub pit} decreased with increasing Al content (i.e., Ti{sub 3}Al had the highest E{sub pit} and, therefore, a greater resistance to pitting, followed by TiAl and TiAl{sub 3}). For TiAl, E{sub pit} was slightly dependent upon pH or Cl{sup {minus}} concentration. Pit morphology and E{sub pit} values were quite different for TiAl compared to Ti{sub 3}Al. TiAl showed numerous small pits, whereas Ti{sub 3}Al exhibited fewer but larger and deeper pits. The larger pit density for TiAl was associated with Al-rich interdendrite regions. One interesting feature of the anodic polarization curves for Ti{sub 3}Al was a small anodic peak frequently observed at {approximately}1.4 V{sub SCE} to 1.8 V{sub SCE}. Results suggested this peak was associated with pit initiation, since pitting initiated concurrently with the peak or immediately afterward.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
276610
Journal Information:
Corrosion, Vol. 52, Issue 8; Other Information: PBD: Aug 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English