Microstructural characterization and corrosion behavior of multipass friction stir processed AA2219 aluminium alloy

Multipass friction stir processing of AA2219-T87 aluminium alloy to a depth of 2 mm in a 5 mm plate resulted in fine alpha-Al grains, reduction and dissolution of both eutectic phase (CuAl2) and the strengthening precipitates (CuAl2). Anodic polarization and electrochemical impedance tests in 3.5% NaCl showed an improved corrosion resistance of the processed alloy, which increased with the number of passes. Salt spray and immersion tests also showed improved resistance to corrosion. The increased resistance to corrosion is attributed to the dissolution of CuAl2 particles, which was established by XRD and DSC studies. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.