Effect of different grain sizes and textures on the corrosion behaviour of aluminum alloy AA6082

Abstract

The fabrication and processing of aluminum alloys can result in the formation of different grain sizes and textures within the material. The effects of these differences on the corrosion behaviour of the commercially available alloy AA6082 have been investigated. The results of the macro- and microelectrochemical investigations have been compared with each other and with the resulting corrosion appearance. The observed corrosion damage is not always consistent with the measured corrosion and pitting potential. In the finer-grained part, with a strongly preferred orientation of (002) planes parallel to the sample surface, less corrosion damage could be observed than in the coarser-grained part. However, microelectrochemical measurements show a slightly lower pitting potential in the finer-grained part, so that pitting is likely to start earlier in this area. © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.