Abstract
In this work, the corrosion mechanism of a Cu-5Zn-5Al-1Sn alloy was examined in a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. At the same time, the effect of a cysteine inhibitor was also investigated through a multi-analytical approach. Electrochemical results suggested that inhibition efficiency increased with the increase of cysteine concentration. From potentiodynamic polarization (PD) analysis, a decrease in corrosion current and corrosion potential shift toward a more negative direction was observed. The potential difference between the blank and inhibited surface was found to be 46 mV, which is less than 85 mV, revealing a mixed type inhibition effect of cysteine for the Cu-5Zn-5Al-1Sn alloy. The inhibition mechanism of cysteine (Cys) and the effect of alloying elements were investigated by fitting experimental impedance data according to a projected equivalent circuit for the alloy/electrolyte interface. A Langmuir adsorption isotherm was proposed to explain the inhibition phenomenon of cysteine on the Cu-5Zn-5Al-1Sn alloy surface. Surface morphology observation confirmed that the Cu-5Zn-5Al-1Sn alloy was damaged in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution and could be inhibited by using the cysteine inhibitor. The impact of alloying elements on the corrosion mechanism was further examined by surface analysis techniques such as X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)/Auger spectra, the results of which indicated that the corrosion inhibition was realized by the adsorption of the inhibitor molecules at the alloy/solution interface.