A SURVEY OF ARGENTINEAN ATMOSPHERIC CORROSION .2. COPPER SAMPLES

Copper samples were exposed at six sites with known ambient parameters in Argentina and the atmospheric corrosion was investigated after dif ferent outdoor exposition periods. Weight-loss measurements used to de termine corrosion damage were complemented with both DC and AC electro chemical techniques, performed in 0.1 M Na2SO4 solution employing the exposed face of the test samples, in order to characterize the protect ivenesses of the surface layers generated on copper in the distinct en vironments. While the ambient aggressiveness could be well evaluated f rom meteorological and pollution parameters and from weight-loss data, the product protective characteristics estimated through SEM and EDAX observations and electrochemical methods yielded valuable information to understand mechanistic aspects concerning the effects of physical properties, structure and contaminant content of surface corrosion pro ducts. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.