The Corrosion Behaviour of Aluminum Alloy 2024-T3 in Acidic Environments

Abstract

This research aimed at analysing the acidic corrosion behavior of aluminum alloy 2024-T3 commonly used in the aerospace. We study the variation of corrosion rate with immersion time at different values of H2SO4 concentration and corrosion rate variation depending on the concentration of the solution setting the group of corrosion of the alloy. Aluminum forms initially a few-nm-thick layer of aluminum oxide, γ-Al, which after prolonged exposure in humidified air is covered by aluminum oxyhydroxide, γ-AlOOH, and subsequently by various hydrated aluminum oxides and aluminum hydroxides. The exposed metal surfaces involved aspects of the corrosion process in 0.1M H2SO4, 0.01M H2SO4 and 0.001M H2SO4 solutions, to determine the type of corrosion and propagation mechanism in acidic environments.