Role of turbulent flow seawater in the corrosion enhancement of an Al–Zn–Mg alloy: an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)

Abstract

The effect of flow on the corrosion of Al–14 wt% Zn–8 wt% Mg alloy in aerated synthetic seawater at ambient temperature was studied using a rotating cylinder electrode (RCE) under turbulent regime conditions by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The overall electrochemical corrosion process was found to be strongly influenced by the oxygen mass transfer process under turbulent flow conditions on the cathodic kinetics, driving to a significant increase in corrosion rate.At corrosion potential, Ecorr value, contributions from the anodic and cathodic processes involved were observed in the impedance diagrams. Instead, at a cathodic potential of −1.2 V (sce), impedance measurements proved the predominance of the mass-transfer process for oxygen. A primary analysis of the impedance plots allowed to confirm such situation. Keywords: Aluminum alloy, Corrosion, EIS, Flow, Oxygen, Mass transfer, Rotating cylinder electrode, Seawater