Cyclic corrosion testing

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Example of a Cyclic corrosion test chamber.

Cyclic Corrosion Testing (CCT) has evolved in recent years, largely within the
automotive industry, as a way of accelerating real-world corrosion failures, under
laboratory controlled conditions. As the name implies, the test comprises different
climates which are cycled automatically so the samples under test undergo the same
sort of changing environment that would be encountered in the natural world. The
intention being to bring about the type of failure that might occur naturally, but
more quickly i.e. accelerated. By doing this manufacturers and suppliers can
predict, more accurately, the service life expectancy of their products.

Until the development of Cyclic Corrosion Testing, the traditional Salt spray test
was virtually all that manufacturers could use for this purpose. However, this test
was never intended for this purpose. Because the test conditions specified for salt
spray testing are not typical of a naturally occurring environment, this type of
test cannot be used as a reliable means of predicting the �real world� service life
expectancy for the samples under test. The sole purpose of the salt spray test is
to compare and contrast results with previous experience to perform a quality
audit. So, for example, a spray test can be used to �police� a production process
and forewarn of potential manufacturing problems or defects, which might affect
corrosion resistance. .[1]

To recreate these different environments within an environmental chamber requires

much more flexible testing procedures than are available in a standard salt spray
chamber.

The lack of correlation between results obtained from traditional salt spray
testing[2] and the �real world� atmospheric corrosion of vehicles, left the
automotive industry without a reliable test method for predicting the service life
expectancy of their products. This was and remains of particular concern in an
industry where anti-corrosion warranties have been gradually increasing and now run
to several years for new vehicles.

With ever increasing consumer pressure for improved vehicle corrosion resistance
and a few �high profile� corrosion failures amongst some vehicle manufactures �
with disastrous commercial consequences, the automotive industry recognized the
need for a different type of corrosion test.

Such a test would need to simulate the types of conditions a vehicle might
encounter naturally, but recreate and accelerate these conditions, with good
repeatability, within the convenience of the laboratory.[3] CCT is effective for
evaluating a variety of corrosion types, including galvanic corrosion and crevice
corrosion.

Test Stages
Taking results gathered largely from �real world� exposure sites, automotive
companies, led originally by the Japanese automobile industry, developed their own
Cyclic Corrosion Tests. These have evolved in different ways for different vehicle
manufacturers, and such tests still remain largely industry specific, with no truly
international CCT standard. However, they all generally require most of the
following conditions to be created, in a repeating sequence or �cycle�, though not
necessarily in the following order:[2]

� A salt spray �pollution� phase. This may be similar to the traditional salt spray
test although in some cases direct impingement by the salt solution on the test
specimens, or even complete immersion in salt water, is required. However, this
�pollution� phase is generally shorter in duration than a traditional salt spray
test.

Graph showing the temperature & humidity steps required during cyclic corrosion
test D17 2028 ECC1
� An air drying phase. Depending on the test, this may be conducted at ambient
temperature, or at an elevated temperature, with or without control over the
relative humidity and usually by introducing a continuous supply of relatively
fresh air around the test samples at the same time. It is generally required that
the samples under test should be visibly �dry� at the end of this test phase.

Graph showing the temperature & humidity steps required during cyclic corrosion
test CETP 00.00-L-467
� A condensation humidity �wetting� phase. This is usually conducted at an elevated
temperature and generally a high humidity of 95-100%RH. The purpose of this phase
is to promote the formation of condensation on the surfaces of the samples under
test.

� A controlled humidity/humidity cycling phase. This requires the tests samples to

be exposed to a controlled temperature and controlled humidity climate, which can
either be constant or cycling between different levels. When cycling between
different levels, the rate of change may also be specified.

The above list is not exhaustive, since some automotive companies may also require
other climates to be created in sequence as well, for example; sub-zero
refrigeration, but it does list the most common requirements.[2]

Tests Standards
The below list is not exhaustive, but here are some examples of popular cyclic
corrosion test standards,

ACT 1 (Volvo)
ACT 2 (Volvo)
CETP 00.00-L-467 (Ford)
D17 2028 (Renault)
JASO M 609
SAE J 2334[4]
VDA 621-415