Development of Supercorroding Alloys for Use as Timed Releases for Ocean Engineering Applications.
Abstract
A family of supercorroding magnesium alloys that react spontaneously and vigorously with seawater have been developed at CEL. Supercorroding alloys are so named because of their high corrosion rate in seawater. Investigations of several different alloy formulations show that the alloys can be useful for generation of hydrogen for ocean buoyancy, fuel for thermodynamic engines and fuel cells, production of heat for divers and as self-destructing links for retrieval of oceanographic instruments. Supercorroding alloys with magnesium as the anode material and with several different cathode materials were fabricated and tested to determine mechanical and corrosive characteristics. Alloys with 5 atomic percent iron cathode produce 950 ml of hydrogen per gram of alloy and 13.3 K joules of heat per gram. One gram is over 90% reacted within one minute from immersion. Compacting and sintering produces samples with 9 ksi shear and tensile strengths. Corrosion rates for sintered samples are approximately .009 inches per hour. Alloys with other cathode materials and different levels of cathode content were fabricated and tested. Sufficient data is available on several different formulations of supercorroding alloys to permit preliminary selection for specific applications. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA070860
Entities
People
- Sarah Black
Organizations
- Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center