Abstract
This paper presents the results of experiments to investigate the effects of temperature on the dezincification and corrosion of 70–30 brass in 0·5 M H2SO4, Zinc and copper losses from specimens tested at various temperatures were estimated at various time intervals by atomic absorption spectroscopic analysis of the corrodent. Corrosion of the brass as a whole was studied by electrochemical techniques. Attacked surfaces were analysed by optical metallography, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). The results show that at temperaturesbelow 50°C the potential remained more or less constant at −400 m V(SCE) forthe duration of the test. An electropositive shift in potential was observed at temperatures above 50°C. Potentiostatic polarisation curves were also shifted to lower current densities at temperatures above 50°C. Dezincijication 0f 70–30 brass hasbeenfound to take place by different mechanisms depending on temperature.
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