The inhibition effect of inorganic
compounds on the corrosion of 3003
aluminium alloy in chloride medium
L. Bazzi*, R. Salghi**, A. Bouchtart*, Z. El Alami***, S. Kertit****
* Laboratoire de Chimie-Physique, Faculté des Sciences, Agadir, Maroc
** École Supérieure de Technologie (ENSA), Université Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Maroc
*** Laboratoire de L’Établissement Autonome de Contrôle et de Coordination
des Exportations, Agadir, Maroc
**** Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Matériaux associé à l’AUPELF-UREF
(LAF502), École Normale Supérieure de Takaddoum, Rabat, Maroc
The corrosion inhibitors of aluminium alloys in chlorinated
medium must mainly act on the one hand, by preventing the
adsorption of the chloride ions on the sites of adsorption and
on the other hand, by delaying the formation of soluble com-
pounds which cause the local destruction of oxide film.
ted electrochemical characteristics are given in table I.
These results show that Mg2+ is the best inhibitor.
The effect of Mg2+ concentration on the potentiodynamic
polarization curves of 3003 aluminium alloy in 3 % NaCl
is shown in figure 2). The electrochemical characteristics
deduced from these curves are given in table II. From these
results we remark that Icor decrease with the rise of inhibitor
concentration. Inhibition efficiency E (%), increase with inhi-
bitor concentration, reaching 80 % at 5.10-2 M.
The inhibition of the corrosion of aluminium alloys by chro-
mates, molybdates, phosphates, tungstates and nitrates was
the subject of work (1-4). Yet, their mechanism of action vary
from one alloy to another and causes many discussions.
The action of metal cations such as copper, magnesium,
zinc, cerium, bismuth, lithium and nickel on the corrosion
behaviour of aluminium alloys is very little studied (5-8).
Some cations such as Cu2+ ions behave like inhibitors or
activators of the corrosion of aluminium alloys according to
the concentration of these ions (9-10).
Electrochemical measurements were also taken at various
temperatures (from 25 to 75°C) in the absence and the pre-
sence of 5.10-2 M Mg2+ (fig. 4-5). The associated electro-
chemical characteristics of Al 3003 alloy are given in table III.
The electrochemical behaviour of alloy 3003 is strongly
influenced by the variation in the temperature of the electro-
lyte. In the medium, the density of the corrosion current
grows with the elevation of the temperature until 55°C. At
65°C, Icor falls to reach the estimated value at 25°C. With
75°C, Icor becomes important. In the presence of the ions
Mg2+, the inhibition efficiency E % is high in the interval of
temperature 25 to 65°C. This result explains the good per-
formance of the alloy 3003 even at high temperatures. At
75°C, the alloy 3003 looses its resistance to corrosion and
undergoes an accelerated attack in the medium containing
the Mg2+ ions.
In the present work, we investigate the corrosion inhibition of
2-
3003 aluminium alloy by Li+, Mg2+, MoO42-, NO2- and CrO4
in a 3 % NaCl solution.
Electrochemical measurements were carried out in a
conventional three electrode cylindrical glass cell. The wor-
king electrode, in the form of a disc cut from aluminium alloy
(Mg (0.950 %), Si (0.120 %), Fe (0.310 %), Mn (1.270 %),
Cu (0.008 %), Zn (0.010 %), Ti (0.015 %), Cr (0.005 %), Sn
(0.002 %) and Al (balance)) sheet, had a geometric area of
0.5 cm2. A saturated calomel electrode (SCE) and a plati-
num electrode were used as reference and auxiliary elec-
trode, respectively. Metallographic observations were car-
ried out on specimens that had a rectangular shape (1.5 cm
× 1 cm × 1 mm).
In conclusion, the inhibition of the corrosion of aluminium
alloy 3003 by the Li+, Mg2+, MoO42-, NO22- et CrO42- ions is
studied in a solution of NaCl 3 %. In terms of these results
obtained, the following conclusions can be announced :
The corrosion inhibition of 3003 aluminium alloy by Li+,
Mg2+, MoO42-, NO2- and CrO42- ions has been studied in a
3 % NaCl solution. Electrochemical polarization and metal-
lographical methods have been used for this study. Results
obtained show that the compounds tested can be used as
good corrosion inhibitors. A comparison of results among
these ions shows that Mg2+ was the best inhibitor in the tem-
perature ranging from 25 to 65°C. Its inhibition efficiency
increases with increase of its concentration and reaches
80 % at 5.10-2 M. Addition of Mg2+ ions leads also to the
inhibition of pitting corrosion of the 3003 alloy. However, at
75°C, the presence of Mg2+ ions in the medium leads to
accelerated attack of this alloy.
Prior to each experiment the aluminium alloy samples were
polished with different emery papers up to 1200, washed
thoroughly with acetone and bidistilled water.
The aggressive solution (3 % NaCl) was prepared by dilu-
tion of analytical grade NaCl with bidistilled water. All the
tests have been obtained in magnetically stirred and deae-
rated solutions at pH = 7.5.
The potentiodynamic polarization curves of 3003 aluminium
alloy in the medium without and with addition of inhibitors
are represented in figure 1. We remark that these curves
vary with the nature of the medium. Values of the associa-
190
La Revue de Métallurgie-CIT/Science et Génie des Matériaux
Février 2002