Hydrogen generation using the corrosion of Al-Sn and Al-Si alloys in an alkaline solution

Abstract

We investigated the effects of adding Sn and Si to Al alloys on the corrosion of the alloys and the generation of hydrogen from an alkaline solution using the alloys. With increasing Sn content of up to 20 wt% in the Al-Sn alloy, the volume fraction of the Sn phase as a cathodic site at grain boundaries increased, and consequently, the hydrogen generation rate from an alkaline solution by the alloy also increased. In addition, the quenched Al-Sn alloys had smaller grain sizes compared to the furnace-cooled alloys, and accordingly, exhibited a slightly higher hydrogen generation rate. A galvanic cell was formed between the Al grain and the Sn phase of the grain boundary, and accordingly, intergranular type corrosion was observed on the Al-Sn alloys. Compared with the Al-Sn alloys, a more uniform type corrosion was observed on the Al-Si alloys because the nobler Si was uniformly distributed in the eutectic region formed between the primary Al grains. The hydrogen generation rate increased with an increasing Si content up to 10 wt% and was greater for the furnace-cooled samples than that for the quenched samples due to the more clearly formed eutectic structure.