Influence of frequency and exposure to a saline solution on the corrosion fatigue crack growth behavior of the aluminum alloy 2024

The aim of this study is to identify domains where the interactions between mechanical, environmental and microstructural parameters may occur during corrosion fatigue crack growth in the aluminum alloy 2024. The scope considered encompasses the influence of frequency and of alternate immersion in saline solution. Corrosion fatigue crack propagation tests have been carried out under sinusoidal and saw-tooth waveforms, and at different frequencies, load ratios, grain orientations and tempers, in air, distilled water and 3.5% NaCl in permanent and alternate immersion. The stress corrosion cracking behavior of the alloy 2024 has also been considered in order to evaluate the possible contribution of this type of damage during corrosion fatigue crack growth. In 3.5% NaCl, growth rates were found to decrease with decreasing frequency. In alternate immersion, growth rates were increased by up to an order of magnitude for the Δ K values considered compared to permanent immersion and air. The possible mechanisms that govern the corrosion fatigue behavior of the 2024 alloy are discussed in terms of a competition between passivation and anodic dissolution and/or hydrogen embrittlement. Finally, it is proposed that the fatigue crack growth enhancement observed during permanent immersion is related to a crack-tip hydrogen embrittlement mechanism. Hydrogen would be produced by anodic dissolution in relation with film rupture periodicity and then be dragged into the process zone. In alternate immersion, precipitate-free zone dissolution would govern crack advance, as during stress corrosion cracking.