Electrochemical characterisation of aluminium AA7075-T6 and solution heat treated AA7075 using a micro-capillary cell

Localised corrosion of 7xxx aluminium alloys initiates at cathodic intermetallics containing Cu and Fe due to a strong galvanic coupling with the matrix. In order to study this galvanic coupling, the electrochemical behaviour of AA7075-T6 and solution heat treated AA7075 has been investigated by means of complementary techniques: micro-capillary cell, scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy (SKPFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Characterisation with the micro-capillary cell showed that the intermetallics cause a more cathodic breakdown potential in the solution heat treated AA7075 compared with the AA7075-T6. This is associated with a higher Volta potential difference between the intermetallics and the matrix in the solution heat treated AA7075, indicating a stronger galvanic coupling for this temper. From these results, it is concluded that the breakdown potential of areas containing the intermetallics is related to the Volta potential difference between the intermetallics and the matrix.