Estudo da resistência à  corrosão da liga de alumínio 2024-T3 clad anodizada em ácido tartárico sulfúrico e pós-tratada em banho contendo íons Ce.

Abstract

This study evaluated the corrosion resistance of a 2024-T3 clad alloy anodized in tartaric-sulfuric acid solution (TSA) and post-treated in baths containing cerium ions, without or with H2O2. The post-treatment aims to increase the corrosion resistance and afford self-healing properties to the anodized layer, without, however, closing its porous structure, thus maintaining its adhesion properties. The effects of the temperature, immersion time and concentration of H2O2 in the post-treatment bath in the microstructure and in the corrosion resistance of the samples were evaluated. SEM observations showed that pores are not blocked and that preferential precipitation of Ce occurs in the vicinity of defective sites of the anodized layer. The evaluation of the corrosion resistance in 0.1 and 0.5 mol/L NaCl solution by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that the post-treatment in solutions containing 50 mM of Ce(NO3)3.6H2O and 10% vol. of H2O2 improves the corrosion resistance of the anodized samples, with the best result being obtained for the intermediary temperature (50°C) of the post-treatment bath. The results of the EIS tests also showed a negative effect of higher temperatures on the protective properties of the anodized layer. Digital photos and SEM observation of the samples after the completion of the EIS experiments confirmed these results. The compositional characterization by GDOES showed the incorporation of Ce species within the pores of the anodized layer after post-treatments in solution containing 50 mM Ce (NO3)3.6H2O and 10% vol. H2O2 at 50°C for 2 and 5 minutes, confirmed by the RBS technique, which also showed the presence of Ce both at the surface and within the pores of the layer, even after 15 days of immersion in 0.1M NaCl. XPS measurements showed the presence of Ce 3+ and Ce 4+ species at the post-treated samples surface and showed higher Ce 3+ / Ce 4+ ratio for the sample post-treated for 2 minutes. Fitting of the EIS diagrams with equivalent circuits showed that partial pore sealing plays an important role in corrosion resistance and evidenced that the most efficient post-treatments do not affect the protective properties of the barrier layer.