Electrochemical Corrosion Behavior of Aluminum in Perchloric Acid

The effects of acetate, citrate, benzoate, tetra-ethylammonium iodide (TEA) and 1,4,8,11 tetra-azacyclo-tetradecane (cyclam) on the corrosion behavior of aluminum in 1 M HClO4 at 40°C were studied by potentiodynamic polarization technique. Acetate, citrate, and benzoate inhibited the corrosion of aluminum and shifted the breakdown potential to positive direction. Cyclam was investigated as a macrocyclic organic inhibitor to the acid corrosion of aluminum. The addition of cyclam to the corroding medium showed a pronounced effect on the anodic but not on the cathodic part of the polarization curve. The addition of TEA to the medium enhanced the corrosion rate and shifted the breakdown potential to more negative value as the concentration increased. The results were discussed on the basis of the adsorption mechanism and the nature of the adsorbed species.