Degradation of Al/SiCp composites produced with rice-hull ash and aluminum cans

The use of recycling aluminum from beverage containers and rice-hull ash (RHA) offers to be an attractive alternative for the economic production of Al/SiCp composites. However, corrosion phenomena in the composites represent technological barriers yet to be resolved before they can be exploited to their full potential. A simple methodology involving characterization by XRD, SEM, EDX, FTIR and ICP was designed in order to investigate the causes of the rapid degradation in a humid environment of Al/SiCp composites produced with RHA and aluminum cans. Results reveal that the use of RHA was beneficial to avoid degradation through the formation and subsequent hydration of the Al4C3 phase. However with condensed moisture acting as an electrolyte, localized corrosion took place with aggressive damage manifested by the disintegration of the composite into a powdery mixture. The relevant corrosion mechanism was mainly attributed to microgalvanic coupling between the Mg2Si intermetallic compound and the matrix (although other phases such as SiC, Si, MgAl2O4 could also work as microcathodes).