Why does seawater corrosion significantly inhibit the cavitation erosion damage of nickel-aluminum bronze?

Abstract

The cavitation erosion (CE) and corrosion behaviors of cast and forged Nickel-aluminum bronzes were studied in deionized water and artificial seawater. Surprisingly, their CE mass losses in seawater were obviously less. Similar to forging process, cavitation load could cause α phase to transform into β phase and dislocation to form in subsurface, which were beneficial to improve mechanical properties. β and κ phases were more easily to be dissolved in corrosion tests. However, cavitation heat changed corrosion mechanism and induced formation of a dense oxide film on surface, which could protect materials covered under it and reduce CE damage.