Purpose: The present study compares the corrosion behaviour of overaged AA 7075 before and after equal channel angular pressing ECAP in two media, containing chlorides, in order to answer the question how grain refinement of aluminium alloys influences their corrosion properties.Design/methodology/approach: The effect of equal channel angular pressing ECAP on corrosion behaviour of aluminium alloy AA 7075 was studied in two water solutions, containing chloride ions: 1) 0.01 M Na2SO4 with addition of 0.01%Cl-, and 2) 3g/l H2O2 and 57g/l NaCl. The changes in electrochemical characteristics, provoked by grain size refinement after equal channel angular pressing ECAP, were found using potentiodynamic polarisation. Steady state potential, corrosion potential, corrosion current density; breakdown (pitting) potential of overaged and deformed by equal channel angular pressing ECAP aluminium alloy AA 7075 were measured.Findings: In the environment with lower chloride concentration equal channel angular pressing ECAP process led to increase in pitting corrosion resistance and in the medium with higher chloride concentration - to decrease in pitting corrosion resistance. That way grain refinement does not demonstrate a uni-directional influence on corrosion resistance of AA 70775.Research limitations/implications: The results suggest the possibility for development of materials having the same chemical composition but with different corrosion resistance to different environments.Originality/value: The paper presents the corrosion behaviour of ultrafine-grained aluminium alloy AA 7075 and the influence of the chloride ions concentration in the corrosion medium on this behaviour.
Influence of equal-channel angular pressing on the microstructure and corrosion behaviour of a 6xxx aluminium alloy for automotive conductors