The Chemical Nature of Aluminum Corrosion: II . The Initial Dissolution Step

The dissolution reaction at a bare aluminum surface in different aqueous solutions has been investigated with the scrape potential technique. The rate equations for different processes were derived from the relaxation kinetic devised by Eigen. These rate constants approximate the rates of formation of iron halide and aluminum complexes reported in the literature. A reaction scheme for the metal dissolution process has been proposed and it is concluded that the controlling step is the complexation reaction of the hydrated cation with the anion present.