Influence of alloying elements on the corrosion resistance of rolled zinc sheet

The influence of alloying elements on the corrosion behaviour of rolled zinc sheet in aqueous media has been investigated by means of electrochemical techniques. All the changes in corrosion behaviour seen in this study could be attributed to modification of the formation or the stability of the passivating oxide film on the zinc surface. A low concentration of copper (0.6 wt.%) inhibited the formation of the passivating film and reduced the stability of the film. Conversely, a low concentration of chromium (0.5 wt.%) accelerated the passivation process and raised the stability of the film. The passivation and corrosion behaviour shown by a commercially produced ternary alloy containing copper and titanium additions was almost the same as the behaviour shown by a model binary alloy containing only copper. All the results obtained in this study were consistent with the hypothesis that alloying elements alter the electron-conducting and/or ion-conducting properties of the passivating oxide film.