Corrosion magnesium

Because unalloyed magnesium is not used extensively for structural applications, it is the corrosion resistance of magnesium alloys that is of primary interest. To enhance strength and resistance to corrosion, magnesium is alloyed with aluminum, lithium, zinc, rhenium, thorium, and silver, with minor additions of cerium, manganese, and zirconium sometimes being used as well. 

Lead by itself is not particularly harmful. However, in conjunction with any concentration of aluminum, it appears to accelerate corrosion. Copper improves atmospheric corrosion resistance and retards intergranular attack. This effect may not make any great difference with longterm corrosion. Magnesium improves the corrosion resistance of zinc and can counteract any bad effects of aluminum. 

For nearly all metals, oxidation is a thermodynamically favorable process in air at room temperature. When the oxidation process is not inhibited in some way, it can be very destructive. Oxidation can also form an insulating protective oxide layer, however, that prevents further reaction of the underlying metal. On the basis of the standard reduction potential for Al, for example, we would expect aluminum metal to be very readily oxidized. The many aluminum soft-drink and beer cans that litter the environment are ample evidence, however, that aluminum undergoes only very slow chemical corrosion. The exceptional stability of this achve metal in air is due to the formation of a thin protective coat of oxide—a hydrated form of AI2O3—on the surface of the metal. The oxide coat is impermeable to O2 or H2O and so protects the underlying metal from further corrosion. Magnesium metal is similarly protected. Some metal alloys, such as stainless steel, likewise form protective impervious oxide coats. 

Key words degradable metals, biocompatibility, in vivo corrosion, in vitro corrosion, magnesium implant. 

Weldments subjected to corrosive attack over a period of time may crack adjacent to the weld seams if the residual stresses are not removed. Gas—tungsten arc welding and gas—metal arc welding ate recommended for joining magnesium, the former for thinner materials and the latter for thicker materials. Maintaining a protective atmosphere is a critical issue in welding these alloys. 

Fluorine can be handled using a variety of materials (100—103). Table 4 shows the corrosion rates of some of these as a function of temperature. System cleanliness and passivation ate critical to success. Materials such as nickel, Monel, aluminum, magnesium, copper, brass, stainless steel, and carbon steel ate commonly used. Mote information is available in the Hterature (20,104). 

Corrosion and Finishing. With few exceptions, magnesium exhibits good resistance to corrosion at normal ambient temperatures unless there is significant water content ia the environment ia combination with certain contaminants. The reaction which typically occurs is described by the equation... 

In neutral and alkaline environments, the magnesium hydroxide product can form a surface film which offers considerable protection to the pure metal or its common alloys. Electron diffraction studies of the film formed ia humid air iadicate that it is amorphous, with the oxidation rate reported to be less than 0.01 /rni/yr. If the humidity level is sufficiently high, so that condensation occurs on the surface of the sample, the amorphous film is found to contain at least some crystalline magnesium hydroxide (bmcite). The crystalline magnesium hydroxide is also protective ia deionized water at room temperature. The aeration of the water has Httie or no measurable effect on the corrosion resistance. However, as the water temperature is iacreased to 100°C, the protective capacity of the film begias to erode, particularly ia the presence of certain cathodic contaminants ia either the metal or the water (121,122). 

Corrosion by Various Chemicals and Environments. In general, the rate of corrosion of magnesium ia aqueous solutions is strongly iafluenced by the hydrogen ion [12408-02-5] concentration or pH. In this respect, magnesium is considered to be opposite ia character to aluminum. Aluminum is resistant to weak acids but attacked by strong alkaUes, while magnesium is resistant to alkaUes but is attacked by acids that do not promote the formation of iasoluble films. 

Fig. 14. Effects of iron (—), nickel (-), and copper (...) contaminant levels on the saltwater corrosion performance of magnesium AZ91 alloy containing...

Organic compounds normally cause Htde or no corrosion of magnesium. Tanks or other containers of magnesium alloys are used for phenol [108-95-2] methyl bromide [74-96 ] and phenylethyl alcohol [60-12-8]. Most alcohols cause no more than mild attack, but anhydrous methanol attacks magnesium vigorously with the formation of magnesium methoxide [109-88-6]. This attack is inhibited by the addition of 1% ammonium sulfide [12135-76-1] or the presence ofwater. 

Some tests indicate that magnesium alloys are resistant to loam sod. However, in the presence of chlorides, corrosive attack may be serious particularly if galvanic couples are present as a result of coupling to iron stmctures. 

G lv nic Corrosion. Galvanic corrosion is an electrochemical process with four fundamental requirements (/) an anode (magnesium), 2) a cathode (steel, brass, or graphite component), (J) direct anode to cathode electrical contact, and (4) an electrolyte bridge at the anode and cathode interface, eg, salt water bridging the adjacent surfaces of steel and magnesium components. If any one of these is lacking, the process does not occur (133,134). 

High Temperature Corrosion. The rate of oxidation of magnesium adoys increases with time and temperature. Additions of berydium, cerium [7440-45-17, lanthanum [7439-91-0] or yttrium as adoying elements reduce the oxidation rate at elevated temperatures. Sulfur dioxide, ammonium fluoroborate [13826-83-0] as wed as sulfur hexafluoride inhibit oxidation at elevated temperatures. 

J. E. HiUis, The Effects of Heavy Metal Contamination on Magnesium Corrosion Peformance, paper 830523, Society of Automotive Engineers, Detroit,... 

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