Corrosion of Copper-Nickel Alloys in Seawater-Based Electrolytes

Abstract

Copper nickel materials are used for their corrosion resistance due to the protective film that forms in seawater. The development of this film over time depends on the exposure condition, and it is critically important to understand the aging process for CuNi components used in marine systems to ensure passivity under sulfide contaminated conditions. Here we study the formation of the protective film over time and its effect on corrosion performance. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements during exposure are used to develop a model of film growth on CuNi 70/30 alloys. These electrochemical measurements are coupled with surface analytical techniques such as glow discharge-optical emission spectroscopy (GD-OES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to characterize the composition of the surface oxide. GD-OES results show that as the protective layer forms, nickel mainly remains at the metal surface and the outer layers are copper enriched oxides and chlorides. There is also incorporation of various elements from the seawater within the film. The rate of this film growth is correlated to the resulting decrease in corrosion rate. Different exposure conditions, such as under flow, are investigated.The translation of these protective film mechanisms to additively manufactured CuNi materials is also of interest, to ensure similar performance with these materials. Evaluating corrosion performance of these newly developed materials involves careful comparison to existing knowledge of film growth and potential for breakdown.