Leonardo R. Garcia

Corrosion behavior of hypoeutectic Al-Cu alloys in H2SO4 and NaCl solutions

The aim of this work was to evaluate the electrochemical behaviour of hypoeutectic Al-Cu alloys immersed in two different solutions containing sulphate and chloride ions, respectively. The influence of Al 2 Cu associated to the dendritic arm spacing on the general corrosion resistance of such alloys is analysed. The typical microstructural pattern was examined by using scanning electron microscope. The corrosion tests were performed in both 0.5 M sulphuric acid and 0.5 M NaCl solutions at 25 °C by using an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique and potentio-dynamic polarization curves. Equivalent circuits by using the ZView software, were also used to provide quantitative support for the discussions. It was found that as the Cu content increased ( i.e ., increasing the Al 2 Cu fraction), a higher susceptibility to the corrosion action in the NaCl solution is detected. In contrast, the tests carried out in the H 2 SO 4 solution resulted in similar corrosion rates for the three different hypoeutectic alloys.

Correlação entre propriedades mecânicas e arranjo dendrítico de ligas Sn-Zn utilizadas em solda sem presença de chumbo

The development of lead-free solder has been an urgent and hard task for material due to health and environmental concerns over the lead content of conventional solders. The aim of the present work is to investigate the influence of microstructural dendritic array parameters of a Sn-4wt% and 12 wt% Zn lead-free solder alloys on its mechanical properties. A water-cooled (25 °C ±2°C) unidirectional solidification system was used in the experiments. The solidification set-up was designed in such way that the heat was extracted only through the water-cooled bottom, promoting vertical upward directional solidification. The experimental results permitted to establish correlations between thermal parameters and secondary dendrite arm spacings with ultimate tensile strength and elongation. It was concluded that the microstructural refinement has significantly improved the elongation (of about 10%). It was also found that, in a range of the cooling rate of about 0.5 and 10 oC/s, the Sn-4 wt% Zn solder alloy has lower variation of the tensile strength (31 to 32 MPa) and elongation than the Sn-12 wt% Zn solder alloy (29 to 33 MPa).

Corrosion Resistances of As-Cast and Quenched Samples of a Zn-22Al Eutectoid Alloy

To address the increasing demand for high performance and high quality die castings, Zn-Al casting alloys have been developed, in particular for applications in the automotive industry. This family of alloys has good physical, mechanical and tribological properties and is commonly used as foundry alloys in a variety of applications. Particularly, the Zn-22 wt% Al eutectoid alloy is a classic commercial material and a fine-grained structure can be obtained by using a suitable heat treatment which can induce a superplastic behavior. On the other hand, this heat treatment can affect the corrosion behavior of such alloy. The present work focuses on the influence of as-cast and quenched microstructures of the Zn-22wt%Al eutectoid alloy on its electrochemical corrosion behavior. The typical microstructural patterns were examined by using optical microscopy techniques. In order to evaluate the corrosion behavior of such alloy, corrosion tests were performed in a 0.5 M NaCl solution at 25°C by using an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique and potentiodynamic polarization curves. An equivalent circuit by using the ZView software was also used to provide quantitative support for the discussions and understanding of the electrochemical corrosion behavior. It was found that the heat-treated samples are more susceptible to the corrosion action than the as-cast alloy sample.

A influência da macrosegregação e da variação dos espaçamentos dendríticos na resistência à corrosão da liga Al-4,5%Cu

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the electrochemical behavior of an Al-4.5wt%Cu alloy solidified under unsteady-state heat flow conditions. This evaluation was carried out through the analysis of both potentiodynamic polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests in a 0.5 M NaCl solution at 25oC. The experimental segregation profile obtained in the solidification experiment was characterized by positive and negative copper content regions at the bottom and the top of the casting, respectively. Likewise, in conventional foundry practice, in a same casting both positive and negative copper segregation regions may occur. Such casting can exhibit different corrosion responses at different locations. The influences of solute redistribution during solidification, the magnitude of dendritic spacing and hence of the Al-rich phase and of Al2Cu particles distribution along the casting on the corrosion resistance, were examined in samples collected along the casting length. The corrosion rate and impedance parameters (obtained from an equivalent circuit analysis) are also discussed.