Chemical and Electrochemical Degradation and Failure of Materials

Abstract

Degradation and failure in chemical and electrochemical environments are described and illustrated in the context of corrosion as it relates to oxidation and reduction chemistry, electrode potentials of metals, galvanic corrosion, stress corrosion, and hydrogen embrittlement. Electropositive metal precipitation and its role in crevice and pitting corrosion in copper-containing aluminum alloys are described. Corrosion in atmospheric acidic environments especially by steels and cathodic protection of buried steel pipelines and other vessels is discussed. Fundamentals of embrittlement and especially related diffusional issues, grain boundary segregation, and crack nucleation by gas (hydrogen embrittlement)-, fluid (liquid metal embrittlement)-, and solid-phase production such as metal hybrids acting as stress-related crack nucleation sites are illustrated.