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Effects Of Sensitization On Intergranular Boundaries Of Aluminum Alloy 5083, Kyle Balentine

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this Honors Research Project is to show the effect of sensitization on intergranular corrosion (IGC) on AA5083. Sensitization is the process of a material to experience microstructural phase change, caused by thermal treatment, which promotes precipitation of secondary phases on the grain boundaries. The nitric acid mass loss test (NAMLT), SEM analysis, cyclic potentiodynamic polarization (CPP), and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) were performed to find a correlation to the degree of sensitization (DOS) and the pitting and IGC mechanisms. The DOS increased as heat treatment was applied. The SEM images displayed no clear precipitates on the grain …