Effect of sulfide on the stress corrosion behaviour of a copper-aluminium alloy in saline water

Abstract

The stress corrosion cracking (scc) behaviour of α-Al bronze was investigated in 3.4% NaCl with sodium sulfide contaminations under open-circuit potentials, as well as at different applied potentials using the constant slow strain rate technique. The susceptibility of α-Al bronze towards stress corrosion cracking has been found to increase with an increase in sulfide ion concentration and in anodic potentials. The increase in sulfide ions in polluted saline water resulted in a reduction in the maximum stress (σ max). The results support film rupture and anodic dissolution at slip steps as the operating mechanism of the stress corrosion cracking process.