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Effect of phosphorus content of α-brass on its corrosion resistance in aggressive soil: experimental and characterization studies

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Abstract

The effects of introducing small amounts of phosphorus (P) into α-brass on its corrosion behavior in Azrou soil were examined. Three α-brasses (denoted EM1, EM2, and EM3) with different P contents were studied in this work. These brasses were investigated using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) plots and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), whereas the chemical composition was determined by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The experimental results showed that the most resistant of the three α-brasses to corrosion in this soil was EM3. Moreover, the presence of P in the α-brasses decreased their corrosion rates and increased their corrosion resistance, i.e., the polarization resistance of the brasses to corrosion increased with the P content of the brass. The maximum polarization resistance, Rp = 851 kΩ cm2, occurred with a P content of 0.137%. The observed changes in surface morphology with increasing P content and the corrosion products deposited on the brass surface were examined by X-ray diffraction. EM3 coupons in the studied soil only showed base metal peaks, demonstrating that EM3 is highly resistant to corrosion.

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Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE), Rabat, Morocco, for financially assisting with and facilitating our study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Materials and Process Engineering, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofaïl University, PO Box 133, 14000, Kenitra, Morocco

    Mouhsine Galai, Mohamed EbnTouhami & Hakima Nassali

  2. International Institute for Water and Sanitation (IEA), National Office of Electricity and the Potable Water, Kenitra, Morocco

    Hanane Benqlilou, Tounsi Belhaj, Khalifa Berrami & Ilyas Mansouri

  3. Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Rabat, Kenitra, Morocco

    Bennaceur ouaki

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  1. Mouhsine Galai
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  2. Hanane Benqlilou
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Correspondence to Mouhsine Galai.

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Communicated by Abdelwaheb Aydi, Associate Editor.

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Galai, M., Benqlilou, H., EbnTouhami, M. et al. Effect of phosphorus content of α-brass on its corrosion resistance in aggressive soil: experimental and characterization studies. Euro-Mediterr J Environ Integr 6, 41 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41207-021-00244-9

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