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Characterization of atmospheric corrosion products formed on silver in tropical-mountain environments

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Abstract

An electrochemical characterization of the atmospheric corrosion products formed on silver exposed to Colombian tropical-mountain sites is reported. Rural and urban environments were selected for exposures up to 6 months. Corrosion products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), and coulometric reduction (CR). XRD patterns shows that achantite (Ag2S) and silver (I) oxide (Ag2O) were the main corrosion products. Electrochemical results show a relationship between the reduction charge obtained by LSV and the sulfide thickness estimated by CR. To perform a correct assignments of all reduction peaks, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and subsequent anodic polarizations at specific potentials of pure silver surface were made in different solutions, such as 0.1 M NaOH, 0.01 M Na2S, and 0.1 M Na2SO4. This procedure was reliable in terms of the electrochemical formation of Ag2S, Ag2O, and Ag2SO4, respectively. Electrochemical techniques were highly reproducible and sensible to detect and measure silver corrosion rates in this type of environments.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to TROPICORR project and Universidad de Antioquia for financial assistance (Estrategia de Sostenibilidad 2013–2014 de la Universidad de Antioquia).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grupo de Investigación Innovación y Sostenibilidad Aplicadas a Infraestructuras en Ingeniería—ISAII, Politécnico Colombiano Jaime Isaza Cadavid PCJIC, Carrera 48 N° 7-151, Medellín, Colombia

    H. Gil

  2. Centro de Investigación, Innovación y Desarrollo de Materiales—CIDEMAT, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA, Calle 70 No. 52-21, Medellín, Colombia

    C. P. Buitrago & A. Echavarría

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  1. H. Gil
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  2. C. P. Buitrago
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  3. A. Echavarría
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Correspondence to H. Gil.

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H. Gil holds a PhD, Politécnico Colombiano Jaime Isaza Cadavid PCJIC.

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Gil, H., Buitrago, C.P. & Echavarría, A. Characterization of atmospheric corrosion products formed on silver in tropical-mountain environments. J Solid State Electrochem 19, 1817–1825 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-015-2821-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-015-2821-z

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