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Non‐destructive surface analysis of accelerated corroded copper alloys

Panayiotis Papandreopoulos (School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece)
Maria Koui (School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece)
Dimitrios Yfantis (School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece)
Theophilos Theophanides (School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece)

Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials

ISSN: 0003-5599

Article publication date: 19 May 2012

311

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the surface corrosion products of copper alloys by non‐destructive techniques (NDT) and correlate them with their bulk composition.

Design/methodology/approach

Specimens of copper alloys, whose compositions were close to those of ancient copper‐based artefacts, were left to be corroded in simulated soil solution containing ammoniacal buffering solution of pH =10 in 1:1 ratio, in order to accelerate the corrosion rate. The elemental compositions of the surface corrosion products were determined versus time using X‐Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy, and the surface morphology by Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X‐Ray Micro‐detector methods, and the results were compared to the bulk composition, as measured by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy and Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy.

Findings

During the corrosion evolution of the copper alloys in the corrosive solution, transitional phenomena were observed such as an initial decrease of the copper concentration with a simultaneous increase of the concentrations of the secondary alloying metals (Sn, Zn and Pb). After 30‐60 immersion days, the alloy concentrations were stabilised.

Originality/value

The results of this research could contribute to the non‐destructive characterisation of copper‐based ancient artefacts (from which the taking of samples is not allowed).

Keywords

Citation

Papandreopoulos, P., Koui, M., Yfantis, D. and Theophanides, T. (2012), "Non‐destructive surface analysis of accelerated corroded copper alloys", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 59 No. 3, pp. 110-120. https://doi.org/10.1108/00035591211224654

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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