Zinc brass oxygen corrosion

Copper and brasses in the systems are more resistant to corrosion because of a stable oxide film however, if ammonia is present together with oxygen, corrosion of copper and copper oxide rapidly occurs. The corrosion is an oxidation process and results in the formation of the ammonia-copper complex [Cu(NH3)42+], Corrosion of nickel and zinc components also may occur in like fashion. 

Phosphine in small quantities in hydrogen containing over I per cent, of oxygen attacks copper, producing an acid liquid which has a most corrosive action on fabric. However, it does not appear under these circumstances to have any action on aluminium or zinc consequently any metal parts inside the envelope of an airship should be of aluminium. Phosphine under the above conditions attacks hemp and other textiles which have been treated with copper compounds, but it does not appear to have any action on fabrics free from copper compounds or copper or brass fastenings. 

Dezincification Some brass alloys are susceptible to pitting corrosion or loss of zinc from the metal matrix. This type of corrosion usually occurs when metal is in contact with high percentages of oxygen and carbon dioxide. 

Attack on metals can be a function of fuel components as well as of water and oxygen. Organic acids react with cadmium plating and zinc coatings. Traces of H2S and free sulfur react with silver used in older piston pumps and with copper used in bearings and brass fittings. Specification limits by copper and silver strip corrosion tests are required for fuels to forestall these reactions. 

In accord with principles described in Sections 7.1 and 7.2, corrosion of iron is negligible at ordinary temperatures in water that is free of dissolved oxygen. An effective practical means, consequently, for reducing corrosion of iron or steel in contact with fresh water or seawater is to reduce the dissolved oxygen content. In this way, corrosion of copper, brass, zinc, and lead is also minimized. 

Galvanic corrosion is an accelerated corrosion of a metal due to formation of a corrosion cell with a metal or non-metallic conductor that exhibits a higher corrosion potential. For example, if a water pipe made of zinc-coated steel (galvanized steel) is connected to a brass fixture and caution is not taken to electrically isolate the two metals, a corrosion cell is established (Figure 7.5). To simplify the situation, we have replaced, in Figure 7.5, the zinc-coated steel by pure zinc and the brass by copper. The cathodic reaction is the reduction of dissolved oxygen, which takes place on both metals. The corrosion cell formed between the zinc and the copper leads to an accelerated corrosion of zinc near the joint. 

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