Copper corrosion: understanding and modelling general corrosion

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• General corrosion of copper is a significant issue in various industrial applications.
• Existing models may not fully capture the complex interplay of subprocesses involved in copper degradation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a mechanistic model for general copper corrosion.
• To characterize the individual subprocesses of copper corrosion.
• To provide insights for optimizing corrosion control.

Main Methods:

• Literature review to synthesize existing knowledge.
• Pipe-rig experiments to gather empirical data.
• Development of a mathematical model based on kinetic rate laws.

Main Results:

• A proposed mechanism subdivides copper corrosion into oxidation, scale formation, and dissolution.
• Kinetic rate laws for each subprocess were identified and characterized.
• A mathematical model was constructed based on these laws.

Conclusions:

• The proposed model offers a framework for understanding copper corrosion.
• Characterization of subprocesses enables targeted intervention.
• Optimized corrosion control strategies can be developed based on this mechanistic understanding.