Corrosion mechanism and corrosion model of Mg-Y alloy in NaCl solution

Abstract

Corrosion of Mg–Y alloy was studied using electrochemical evaluations, immersion tests and SEM observations. Corrosion mechanisms of Mg-(0.25 and 2.5) Y alloy and Mg-(5, 8, and 15) Y alloy were uniform corrosion and pitting corrosion respectively, and the content of Mg24Y5 phases determined its effect acting as cathode to accelerate the corrosion or corrosion barrier to inhibit the corrosion. Corrosion resistance of Mg-(0.25, 2.5, 5, 8, and 15) Y alloys was as follows: Rt(Mg-0.25Y) < Rt(Mg-8Y) < Rt(Mg-15Y) < Rt(Mg-5Y) < Rt(Mg-2.5Y). Y could significantly improve the corrosion resistance of the Mg-Y alloy, but the excess of Y deteriorated the corrosion resistance of the Mg-Y alloy. The optimum content of Y in the studied alloys was 2.5%.