Effects of Thermal History on the Corrosion Kinetics of Rolled Aluminum 6111 Alloy

This study combines in situ quantitative phase microscopy - with electrochemical monitoring to evaluate the effect of thermal history on corrosion modes and kinetics of AA6111 alloys. The topography map revealed that quenching rates, with or without temper conditions, influenced alloys' corrosion modes despite having similar electrochemical responses and chemical compositions. Primarily, heterogeneous dissolution was observed, with the slow-quenched materials susceptible to intergranular corrosion, while the fast-quenched materials were susceptible to pitting. Quantitative analysis showed the fast-quenched material resisted corrosion initiation for a longer time, with excellent resistance even at higher polarization, compared to slow-quenched material.