IMAGING AND CHARACTERIZING THE CORROSION OF NITINOL AND ALUMINUM IN SITU

Abstract

In the first chapter, the corrosion resistance of mechanically polished and as received nitinol was characterized. Two treatments were applied to improve the corrosion resistance: placing samples in 90ºC distilled water and in a 3% solution of H2O2. Potentiodynamic cyclic voltammetry curves and measuring the mass loss in an aggressive solution were used to characterize the corrosion resistance. The H2O2 and water treatments were found to substantially improve the corrosion resistance. Nitinol discs were imaged during a cyclic voltammetry scan. This enabled us to characterize the corrosion mechanism in situ. In the second chapter the effect of the electrolyte flow on the corrosion of aluminum 1100 and 5052 was investigated. Corrosion was found to be more severe when the sample was left in a still solution. The surface of Al 5052 was imaged during corrosion. We found flow did not affect the corrosion propagation mechanism.