Corrosion Behavior of Mg2Zn11 and MgZn2 Single Phases

In this study, the corrosion resistance of pure Zn, Mg2Zn11, and MgZn2 single phases was investigated using an electrochemical test and surface analysis. The electrochemical test showed clearly that alloying with Mg significantly increased the corrosion resistance of Zn-Mg alloys. This study confirms that the Mg2Zn11 phase has the most outstanding corrosion resistance among these phases. The improved corrosion resistance of the Mg2Zn11 phase is attributed to the formation of an intermediate corrosion product. Intermediate corrosion products, which are formed on the surface of the specimen, have a role in preventing direct exposure from corrosion environments. In particular, among these products, Zn-5(OH)(8)Cl2H2O (simonkolleite) contributes to the improvement of corrosion resistance, probably because it delays the formation of ZnO, the final corrosion product in the generative process.