Copper corrosion behaviour

Monticelli, C., Trabanelli, G., Meszaros, G., 1998. Investigafion on copper corrosion behaviour in industrial waters by electrochemical noise analysis. J. Appl. Electrochem. 28, %3—969. 

Metals which owe their good corrosion resistance to the presence of thin, passive or protective surface films may be susceptible to pitting attack when the surface film breaks down locally and does not reform. Thus stainless steels, mild steels, aluminium alloys, and nickel and copper-base alloys (as well as many other less common alloys) may all be susceptible to pitting attack under certain environmental conditions, and pitting corrosion provides an excellent example of the way in which crystal defects of various kinds can affect the integrity of surface films and hence corrosion behaviour. 

Briefly the important developments in copper alloys with respect to their erosion corrosion behaviour in seawater have been ... 

The basic corrosion behaviour of stainless steels is dependent upon the type and quantity of alloying. Chromium is the universally present element but nickel, molybdenum, copper, nitrogen, vanadium, tungsten, titanium and niobium are also used for a variety of reasons. However, all elements can affect metallurgy, and thus mechanical and physical properties, so sometimes desirable corrosion resisting aspects may involve acceptance of less than ideal mechanical properties and vice versa. 

The corrosion behaviour of amorphous alloys has received particular attention since the extraordinarily high corrosion resistance of amorphous iron-chromium-metalloid alloys was reported. The majority of amorphous ferrous alloys contain large amounts of metalloids. The corrosion rate of amorphous iron-metalloid alloys decreases with the addition of most second metallic elements such as titanium, zirconium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, cobalt, nickel, copper, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, iridium and platinum . The addition of chromium is particularly effective. For instance amorphous Fe-8Cr-13P-7C alloy passivates spontaneously even in 2 N HCl at ambient temperature ". (The number denoting the concentration of an alloy element in the amorphous alloy formulae is the atomic percent unless otherwise stated.)... 

The various grades of copper available do not differ to any marked extent in their corrosion resistance, and a choice is usually based on other grounds. Subsequent references to the corrosion behaviour of copper may therefore be taken to apply broadly to all types of copper. 

Several books contain general summaries of the corrosion behaviour of copper and its alloy and the formation of copper corrosion products and methods for their identification have been described in a number of papers... 

Much attention continues to be devoted to the corrosion behaviour of copper alloys in an increasing range of marine applications ... 

Finally, a book has recently been published covering corrosion problems related to nuclear waste disposal" . It discusses a variety of subjects including corrosion behaviour and SCC of copper, carbon steels and high alloy steels under conditions related to nuclear waste disposal. Special attention is paid to pitting and problems associated with hydrogen gas generation from corrosion processes. 

Corrosion behaviour and protection of copper and aluminium alloys in seawater... 

King, R, Lilja, C. and Vahanen, M. (2013) Progress in the understanding of the long-term corrosion behaviour of copper canisters. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 438, 228-237. 

EinfluS von Kupfer auf das Korrosionsverhalten verzinkter Rohre in warmen Brauchwassem (Influence of copper on the corrosion behaviour of galvanised tubing in warm water systems) (in German)... 

In the tidal zone and the immersion zone, no influence of graphite formation or addition of copper on the corrosion behaviour is recognisable. In the splash zone, on the other hand, the corrosion rates in the GCL samples are all at the lower limit of the scatter band. After the test period of 4.5 years, scatter ranges as follows were determined for surface corrosion ... 

The study of ultraArin polymer layers on metals is relevairt in understairding Are behaviour of polymers on surfaces, as well as in Are areas of adlresion aird corrosion. Gold aird copper surfaces cair be covered wiAr monolayers of polymers by adsorjrtion from solution [227, 228, 229, 230, 231,232, 233, 234 aird 235]. 

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