MICROSTRUCTURE EVOLUTION AND CORROSION BEHAVIOR OF Al-Si/Al-Mn COMPOSITES IN SALT SPRAY

Abstract

Al-Si/Al-Mn composites are commonly used in aluminum heat exchangers. Improving their corrosion resistance is the key for prolonging their service life and reducing their costs. In this paper, an artificial salt spray corrosion test was adopted in accordance with the ASTM G85 standard to evaluate the atmospheric corrosion resistance of Al-Si/Al-Mn composites. The corroded samples were tested with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Microstructure evolution and their corrosion mechanism were discussed after the use of OM, SEM, EPMA and XRD. The results showed two corrosion mechanisms, including the pitting-induction mechanism and intergranular-development mechanism: pitting is induced by the destruction of the passive film as Cl– is adsorbed at the defects, while the corrosive medium in the pitting pores expands along the grain boundaries where eutectic Si is enriched. A corrosion process can be divided into three periods: the pitting-induction period, pitting-propagation period and matrix-corrosion period. The equivalent circuit models established sequentially were consistent with the actual macroscopic and microscopic observations.