The effect of sea water on the corrosion resistance of commercial aluminum alloys

Abstract EN

The aim of this study is to test the effect of sea water on Corrosion / Erosion Rate and the hardness of commercial aluminum alloy.

The specimen of this alloy was heat treated at (520ºC) for (1.5 hr) then quenched in water.

The specimenwas exposed to ajet of see water at constant speed (3.2 m / sec), and different periods of time (from 0.5 to 14.5 hrs).

Special system designed for this purpose, consist of two basins of water ,each one (50 * 50 * 25 ) cm ³size, The specimen hold in the upper basin.

The Jet of sea water from a source located at 2.5 cm strike the specimen .

The loss in weight of the specimen due to the effect of corrosion of sea water was measured.

The Weight Loss per unit area, the Corrosion Rate, and the relation between each of them and exposed time, was calculated.

The different happened in hardness of the specimen was calculated. The results show that : • The Weight Loss per unit area increase at the first hours of exposure time to the sea water (till 3.5hrs ), then be constant at the remaining time. • The Corrosion Rate was maximum after ( 0.5 hr) then decrease gradually , and be at low rate after more than 10 hrs of exposed time. • Hardness increased with the increase of exposed time to the sea water.