Influence of Heat Treatment Temperature on Dezincification of Duplex Brass

Nawarat Worauaychai; Attapon  Tareh

Authors

Nawarat Worauaychai Department of Materials Technology, Faculty of Science, Ramkhamhaeng University
Attapon Tareh Department of Materials Technology, Faculty of Science, Ramkhamhaeng University

Keywords:

Duplex Brass, Dezincification, Potentiodynamic, Polarization, Heat Treatment

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of heat treatment temperature on the microstructural evolution and following dezincification susceptibility of duplex brass. The specimens were heat-treated at temperatures 300°C-600°C, followed by water quenching. Subsequently, dezincification behavior was evaluated using potentiodynamic polarization. The results reveal a critical correlation between the topology of the zinc-rich phases and corrosion performance. While the alloy exhibits microstructural stability up to 400°C, significant grain coarsening and phase segregation occur at 600°C. Electrochemical measurements indicate that specimens treated at 300°C exhibit the highest susceptibility to dezincification, attributed to a continuous, interconnected network of the b phase, which facilitates rapid anodic dissolution. Conversely, heat treatment at 400°C reduces dezincification compared to 300°C; at this temperature, the coarsening of the noble a phase interrupts the continuity of the b matrix, creating a barrier that impedes corrosion propagation. notably, although the 600°C condition contains a high-volume fraction of the anodic b phase, its segregation into isolated islands prevents the formation of conductive pathways. Phase connectivity, rather than volume fraction, primarily drives the reduction in corrosion resistance for duplex brass.

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