Preparation and characterization of Ti–Ta alloys for application in corrosive media

Abstract Titanium (Ti) exhibits a good corrosion resistance in oxidizing acids and neutral media but is severely attacked in reducing acids. On the contrary, tantalum (Ta) presents an excellent resistance in both oxidizing and reducing acids, but its high cost limits its use to very aggressive conditions. The Ti–Ta alloys are promising materials for use in reducing acids, due to their lower cost and density when compared to tantalum, and their higher corrosion resistance when compared to titanium. Ti-20, 40, 60 and 80 wt.% Ta alloys were prepared by arc melting and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). Some electrochemical experiments were performed in H 2 SO 4 solutions at room temperature to evaluate their corrosion resistance.