Galvanic Corrosion of Aluminum-Matrix Composites

Abstract

Galvanic-corrosion rates of Al-matrix composites were high in aerated chloride-containing solutions. Oxygen reduction was found to be the primary cathodic reaction. Aluminum corroded by pitting. The type of noble constituent (i.e., graphite, SiC, or TiB2) also affected galvanic-corrosion rates. For example, results indicated that the galvanic-corrosion rate of Al should be about 30 times greater when coupled to graphite than when coupled to SiC or TiB2. In dearated solutions, galvanic corrosion was negligible even if chlorides were present. The galvanic-corrosion rates were determined using the zero- resistance ammeter technique and from potentiodynamic polarization diagrams of ultrapure Al, 6061-T6 Al, graphite fiber, SiC, TiB2, and a commercial graphite fiber/6061-T6 Al metal-matrix composite.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 1991
Accession Number
ADA232138

Entities

People

  • L. H. Hihara
  • R. M. Latanision

Organizations

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Anodic Polarization
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemistry
  • Composite Materials
  • Electronics Laboratories
  • Engineering
  • Galvanic Corrosion
  • Massachusetts
  • Materials
  • Materials Engineering
  • Materials Processing
  • Materials Science
  • Metal Matrix Composites
  • Metallurgy
  • Military Research
  • Resistance
  • Silicon Carbide

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Reinforced Composite Materials