Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Vol.141, No.12, 3473-3479, 1994
Impedance-Spectroscopy Response of Aluminum-Copper-Silicon Alloys
The effects of Cu and Si additions as well as heat-treatment on the ac impedance-spectroscopy response and anodic de polarization of Al-Cu-Si alloys were evaluated. The observed corrosion behavior was correlated with the changes in microstructure and age-hardening response induced through artificial aging of Al-Cu and Al-Cu-Si alloys. In the solution-treated condition, Si additions were found to lead to a very slight increase in corrosion resistance, while Cu additions were found to lower the overall corrosion resistance significantly Cu and Si additions also led to an increase in the open-circuit potentials of Al-Cu-Si alloys. Silicon accelerated age-hardening of Al-Cu-Si alloys and thereby affected their impedance spectroscopy response through changes in microstructure. The metastable Cu-rich precipitates that formed during aging interfered with the growth of the Al-alloy oxide layer and decreased its effective thickness. Appearance of the equilibrium CuAl2 precipitates may have resulted in the formation of structural and electrical defects in the oxide layer at or near these precipitates. As a consequence, the appearance of defects in the oxide layer during aging led to an overall decrease in the corrosion resistance. These results were similar to those obtained on Al-Cu (2%) alloys, but the changes in the age-hardening and impedance responses of the Al-Cu (2%)-Si (2%) alloys were accelerated. The type of corrosion attack observed is discussed in terms of the microstructural changes that occurred during age hardening.
Keywords:CORROSION