Comparison of the corrosion resistance of an Al–Cu alloy and an Al–Cu–Li alloy

Abstract

In this study, the corrosion mechanisms of the AA2024-T3 and the AA2098-T351 were investigated and compared using various electrochemical techniques in 0.005 mol L−1 NaCl solution. The severe type of corrosion in the AA2098-T351 was intragranular attack (IGA) although trenching and pitting related to the constituent particles were seen. On the other hand, the AA2024-T3 exhibited severe localised corrosion associated with micrometric constituent particles, and its propagation was via grain boundaries leading to intergranular corrosion (IGC). Electrochemical techniques showed that the corrosion reaction in both alloys was controlled by diffusion. The non-uniform current distribution in both alloys showed that EIS was not a proper technique for comparing the corrosion resistance of the alloys. However, local electrochemical techniques were useful for the evaluation of the corrosion resistance of the alloys.