CORROSION COMPARISONS AMONG MAGNESIUM ALLOYS OF INTEREST FOR DoD SYSTEMS USING LABORATORY BASED ACCELERATED CORROSION METHODS

Test specimens of various magnesium alloys common to U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) systems or proposed for use in DoD systems were identically prepared and exposed under bare uncoated conditions in chamber based laboratory accelerated corrosion test methods to assess their relative susceptibilities to general and pitting corrosion attack. The methods used were ASTM B 117 neutral salt fog (NSF) and General Motors Standard 9540P (GM 9540P) cyclic accelerated corrosion. The NSF specimens were compared at intervals of 18, 72, and 168 hours. The GM 9540P specimens were assessed at 1, 5, and 10 cycle intervals. The visual corrosion assessments were graphically obtained using flatbed scanning techniques.  Following the exposures, final mass loss measurements were obtained for all specimens.