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SELECTIVE LEACHING

Selective leaching is the preferential dissolution of one element from an
alloy. The two leading examples of this are de-zincification and graphitization.
An example of dezincification is shown below. The figure shows a brass
screw taken from the end of a cold water tap when the rubber valve required
replacement
.

Parts of the screw on either side of the slot fractured revealing a dark brown
copper area. The screw appeared to be intact with a slight green patina,
common for copper in water after a long term exposure. The hot water tap
showed more severe behavior when the top of the screw sheared when an
attempt was made to unscrew it to change the rubber valve seal, as shown in
the figure below.

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Copper based alloys represent an important category of technologically
useful materials not only for their use in different industrial applications but
also due to their excellent electrical, electrochemical and engineering
characteristics .Like most metallic components, these alloys suffer from
different types of corrosion, especially the selective leaching of active
components, e.g .Zn from brasses and Ni from cupronickels, which leads to the
deterioration of the alloy properties and its complete failure. Such processes
have a negative impact on the economical use of these materials.
The de-zincification in this case is uniform type. The other type is plug type in
which the de-zincification occurs locally as plugs in the material. It should be
noted that in both cases material is still present, but it has no structural strength
as it is porous.

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Uniform type is favored by high zinc content and acid or aggressive
environments. Plug type is found for low zinc contents and less aggressive
environments.
The other process of graphitization! is applicable to gray cast irons. In
gray cast irons the carbon in the cast iron is the matrix phase and is continuous
throughout the metal. The carbon is the cathode site and is ferritic matrix is the
anode which dissolves.


Mechanisms.

De-zincification.

There are two different mechanisms.

a) Single zinc dissolution.
Only the zinc dissolves leaving behind the porous structure. The
problem with this theory is that de-zincification rates are more rapid than the
diffusion processes for removing the zinc will allow.

b) Two element dissolve, one deposits.
Uniform annulus of
De-zincification
Plug type of
De-zincification
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The more accepted theory is that both elements dissolve, for example in
brass both the copper and the zinc dissolve in the environment, but the copper
re-deposits in a cathodic galvanic reaction.

Prevention

1. Use low zinc brasses less than 15% wt Zn.

2. Addition of As(0.4%) retards the process.

3. Use cupronickels, Cu-Ni alloys.

Graphitization.

Mechanism

The graphite flakes lead to an ever present cathode site on gray cast
irons. The ferrite is dissolved by anodic reaction, leaving the graphite network
behind.
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Prevention.

1. Use malleable, white cast irons or nodular cast irons. These all avoid
having a continuous graphite cathode.

References
1- M. E. Wadsworth, #Rate Processes of Extractive Metallurgy$, Plenum
Press, Eds. H. Y. Sohn and M. E. Wadsworth, New York (1979) 148
2- Kh. M. Ismail and W.A. Badawy; J. Appl. Electrochem., 30 (2000)
3- W.A. Badawy, F.M. Al-Kharafi and A.S. El-Azab, Current Topic in
Electrochemistry 6 (1998) 149.
4- Bachelor,B ., LeachM odels:T heorya nd Application. J, Haz. Mater.,
Yol.24(213), pp.255-266.2004
5- Van der Sloot, H.A., Comans, R.N.J., and Hjelmar, O. (1996).
Similarities in the leaching behavior of trace contaminants from waste,
stabilized waste, construction materials and soils. The Science of the
Total Environment. 178:11-126

Continuous Network
of Graphite Flakes in
a Gray Cast Iron
Ferrite - BCC
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"Selective Leaching Corrosion"


Supervised by Dr. Sami Ibrahim Al-Rubai'iy



Prepared by Heider Al-Yassiry

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