Corrosion of Copper and copper alloys

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Me 209, Research Methodology
Advisor: Prof. Troy Topping
Ahmed Jabir
  

 WHAT IS CORROSION?
 Atmospheric corrosion
 Temperature
 Pollutants
 Water Composition
 Corrosion Resistance
 Corrosion
WHAT IS CORROSION ??
Corrosion is defined as the slow and steady
destruction of a metal by the environment. It
results in the decay of the metal to form metal
compounds, by means of chemical reactions
with the environment.
 
 Atmospheric corrosion
Atmospheric Exposure to Copper and its alloys corrode at
rates usually less than .001in/year in the atmosphere. The
rates are generally higher in industrial locations, particularly
if these locations include Sulfur containing gases such as
hydrogen sulfide and Sulfur oxides
In many instances corrosion is accompanied by the
formation of green corrosion products, which form a patina
over the alloy surface
 The Chemistry of Patination
Equation 1   4Cu + O2 → 2Cu2O
Equation 2   2Cu2O + O2 → 4CuO
Equation 3   Cu + S → CuS
Equation 4   2CuO + CO2 + H2O → Cu2CO3(OH)2
Equation 5  3CuO + 2CO2 + H2O → Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Equation 6   4CuO + SO3 + 3H2O → Cu4SO4(OH)6
 Temperature
The corrosion of copper alloys is not affected much
by temperature. They have been used in seawater
from 0 to 70°C. They have also been used to 110°C
for brine heater tubes in desalination plants
 Pollutants
The main pollutants that affect the corrosion of copper alloys
are sulphide and ammonia.
These are not always measured in standard water analyses
and it is important to check whether these can be present,
either continually or discontinuous.
They can affect corrosion at very low concentrations, so it is
important that analytical techniques with the required
sensitivity are used.
 Water Composition
The water composition is not required in
detail. Copper alloys have been used
successfully over a wide range of chloride
concentrations from 1,000 mg/L or less to
50,000 mg/L (in MSF [multi-stage flash]
desalination plants). The pH is important
and copper alloys are best used in the
range 6.5 to 9.1. The pH of seawater is
typically in the range 7.8 to 8.2, but
incursions of freshwater or chemical Pourbaix diagram for copper at 25 oC . Copper
is thermodynamically unstable in deionized
additions may drive the pH to H2O (with dissolved oxygen) at pH below 7.
unacceptably low values.
 Water Composition
Table /Weight loss of copper alloys following
immersion in seawater
Alloy Trade Name Composition Weight loss (mg /cm^2)

60 days 156 days 365 days

C11000 Electrolytic 99.9%Cu 10.6 14.6 19.7
Copper
C19400 Copper-Iron 2.4%Fe, 0.13%Zn , 9.6 11.0 16.0
0.04%P
C23000 Red Brass 15%Zn 8.9 10.2 19.1
C26000 Brass 30%Zn 17.2 15.6 21.9
C70600 Copper-Nickel 10%Ni, 1.4%Fe 3.6 3.4 5.1
C77000 Nickel Silver 27%Zn, 18%Ni 9.7 14.2 –
 Corrosion Resistance
The corrosion resistance of Copper alloys comes from
the formation of adherent films on the material
surface.
Copper Nickel alloys, Aluminum Brass, and Aluminum
Bronzes demonstrate superior resistance to saltwater
corrosion.
THANKS