Comparative Corrosion Behavior of Pure Copper and Brass in 3.5% NaCl Solution

Abstract

Copper and brass are used in many economic sectors as electrical, construction, transport and others. From common household electrical wiring to boat propellers and from photovoltaic cells to saxophones, copper and its alloys are employed in a variety of end-uses. Copper tubing is now the standard material for potable water and heating systems in most developed countries. This is in part due to its bacteriostatic properties, or in other words due to the ability of copper to inhibit the growth of bacterial and viral organisms in water. Therefore, the corrosion resistance of copper and brass are important in defining the field of use as construction parts. This paper aims at investigating the comparative corrosion behavior of pure copper and brass in 3.5 % NaCl solution. The corrosion behavior of both type samples in 3.5% NaCl solution was investigated by the use of electrochemical methods as open circuit potential and linear polarization resistance measurements. The results show an improved corrosion resistance of pure copper sample in 3.5 wt. % NaCl solution as compared with brass sample.