Effect of applied low-voltage spatial electric field on the corrosion behaviour of copper in 3.5 wt-% NaCl solution

ABSTRACT

Electrochemical tests and surface analyses were carried out to study the influence of the external low-voltage spatial electric field (SEF) on the corrosion behaviour of copper in 3.5 wt-% NaCl solution and explore the corrosion kinetics of copper under the SEF. The results show that the presence of the SEF aggravated the corrosion of copper; the results of weight loss tests and electrochemical tests indicated the enhanced corrosion rate of copper as the field strength increased. The X-ray diffraction results of corrosion products suggested that the Cu₂O converted to Cu₂(OH)₃Cl with application of the SEF. The effect of the SEF on the copper proved the increase in corrosion rate was attributed to the enhanced migration of ions towards the sample surface caused by the external SEF. It resulted in more aggressive chloride ions to penetrate into the looser surface corrosion product film, thereby accelerating corrosion.

KEYWORDS:

• Copper
• spatial electric field
• corrosion
• EIS
• X-ray diffraction

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China [grant number 2017YFB0702102].