The corrosion kinetics of cordierite-based ZrO2 composites obtained from natural zeolite in dilute HCl acid solution

Abstract

Being a versatile ceramic, which can be used in various applications, cordierite has always been subject to optimization and research. Nevertheless, the corrosion resistance of the ceramic, synthesized from natural zeolite, has not been widely investigated. In this study, cordierite with 2:2:5 compositions of MgO/Al2O3/SiO2, respectively, was obtained from the natural zeolite. Following sintering at 1250°C for 1 h, of cordierite with 10 and 20% amount of added zirconia (ZrO2), the mechanical properties exhibited proportional amelioration, accompanied by an enhanced homogeneity and reduced microcracks. The corrosion properties were investigated via the weight loss method in 2 vol. % and 5 vol. % HCl acid solutions maintained for up to 480 h at 25, 50, and 75°C. The corrosion kinetics were evaluated from corrosion curves, followed by a calculation of the activation energies of corrosion. The results revealed that ZrO2 addition enhances the resistance, with an optimum observed for the 10% zirconia doped cordierite samples, with varying activation energies between 113 kJ/mol for 5 vol. % HCl acid solution and 119 kJ/mol for 2 vol. % HCl acid solution.