In situ site- and time-resolved analysis of local corrosion and inhibition of aerospace alloys

Abstract

This work advances the understanding of local corrosion and inhibition of aerospace aluminum alloys by applying in situ reflected light microscopy, integrated with electrochemical measurements, to systematically analyze the behavior of many intermetallic particles and other local corrosion sites. This approach generates site-resolved datasets with high spatial and temporal resolution, capturing the diverse and dynamic nature of local corrosion phenomena. To fully harness this information, new data processing frameworks were implemented, enabling extraction of time-dependent parameters and robust classification of local corrosion and inhibition behaviors. These developments uncover new mechanistic insights into how corrosion and inhibition processes initiate, evolve, and interact across varying microstructures under different environments. Crucially, this approach moves beyond isolated observations of individual sites, enabling a broader and more representative understanding of local behavior across the materials. The resulting perspective provides insights that support the development of more targeted and efficient active corrosion protection strategies.