Studies of Inhibition of Magnesium Corrosion

The corrosion of pure magnesium in aqueous solutions of various p H has been studied. The reaction product is a porous layer consisting mainly of in the absence of inhibitors, but films formed in solutions containing are composed of substances which could not be identified. The reaction in inhibitor‐free solutions proceeds by the formation and dissolution of a primary film, possibly an oxide, followed by precipitation of a film of . In solutions the reaction product is thicker and probably denser because the periodate decreases its dissolution rate, and the over‐all metal removal rate is less by a factor of 10 at p H 9–10.