Corrosion of Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys

Citation

de Rooij, D.M.R. (2004), "Corrosion of Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 51 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/acmm.2004.12851bae.001

Corrosion of Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys

Corrosion of Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys

J.R. Davis (Ed.)ASM International1999313 p.ISBN 0-87170-629-6US $164.00 Hardbound

Keywords: Corrosion, Aluminium, Alloys

This handbook presents a comprehensive coverage of the corrosion behavior of aluminum and aluminum alloys, including practical information about how to select and process these materials to prevent corrosion attack. The book describes the influences of composition, microstructure, mechanical working, heat treatment, joining methods, and environmental variables on the corrosion of aluminum-based materials (Plate 1).

Plate 1

The book is divided into 12 chapters, covering the diverse applications and problems associated with corrosion in aluminum and its alloys, as well as the diverse methods of testing for, and preventing, corrosion. The text starts by giving general information on the properties of aluminum and the basics of corrosion (chapters 1 and 2). Chapters 3-7 separately describes the different types of corrosion, discussing among other pitting, intergranular, galvanic, stray-current, and fretting corrosion, and environmentally assisted cracking. Each type of corrosion includes the mechanism, and characteristics, factors controlling it, and locations and applications where it might occur. Chapter 8 describes the different types of corrosive environments. Chapters 9 and 10 discuss factors that affect the corrosion of joined aluminum assemblies and metal-matrix composites. The book includes two extensive chapters providing an overview of corrosion prevention methods and corrosion testing (chapters 11 and 12), and concludes with appendices on composition of wrought and cast aluminum and aluminum alloys, and a subject index.

The author has treated the text carefully, including extensive figures, tables, and plenty of photographs and micrographs that demonstrate clearly the topics examined. Each chapter contains a list of references and additional suggested literature. A useful feature is the alloy index included at the end of the book, giving for each specific alloy a list of pages where related information is presented. The writing style is very clear and the explanations are understandable. The author has also collected material in a tabular form in many occasions, to facilitate reference and easy comparison to the reader.

The book does not include advanced electrochemical theories and techniques. This however should not be considered as a flaw of the book, since the goal of the author has been to focus on the application of the material it investigates, and not on the theoretical scientific aspects of the topics examined. It would have been helpful if some of the tables and figures had the source listed, particularly the ones presenting the experimental data. In addition, the testing methods mentioned focus almost exclusively on ASTM standards with few references to ISO standards.

In summary, the author has succeeded in compiling a single volume information that will be valuable to practicing corrosion engineers, and testing and maintenance professionals who are concerned with corrosion of aluminum and its alloys. It is also a great reference source of aluminum corrosion and protection in real life applications to upper-class undergraduate and graduate students in Materials Science, Corrosion Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and related disciplines.

Dr M.R. de RooijDelft University of TechnologyE-mail: m.derooij@citg.tudelft.nl