Abstract

   Corrosion behavior and quantification of Zn and Cu ions release of two types of brass, (α+β)-brass (CuZn36Pb2As) and lead-free α-brass (CuZn21Si3P) were studied in tap water (City of Rabat) and simulated drinking water. Stationary electrochemical methods of potential monitoring and polarization curves  and trans-methods showed that α-brass resists corrosion better than (α + β)-brass, This is due to the presence of elements such as Cu, Ni, Si, and Al which improve the protective performance of the oxide film, and temperature affects both alloy’s electrochemical behavior in the two mediums. It is more significant in tap water than in simulated drinking water. Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) spectroscopy was also used to follow the evolution of Cu2+ and Zn2+ ion concentration as a function of time and to determine dezincification factors, which are found to be greater than 1 and increase as a function of time in both media, their values are also significantly higher in drinking water than in simulated water. After a long time of exposure with agitation (28 days), SEM micrographs confirm the results obtained from the polarization and impedance curves, as well as from the ICP study. The tap water showed more corrosion than the simulated drinking water for both alloys. This may be due to the presence of solid particles in the drinking water, such as sand or limestone, which may affect substrates surface by other phenomenon as erosion.