Effect of Partial Cladding Pattern of Aluminum 7075 T651 on Corrosion and Mechanical Properties

The corrosion resistance of aluminum 7075 T651 in full clad (Alclad), partial clad, and bare (unclad) forms was compared after 300 hours of corrosion exposure in an acidic salt spray cabinet test at 36°C. After corrosion exposure, severe to moderate exfoliation corrosion was observed on the unprotected medium sized test panel, light general corrosion was observed on the partially clad panel, and patches of corrosion not penetrating the clad layer were observed on the fully clad panel. After corrosion tests, the tensile strength of partially clad, fully clad, and unprotected panels decreased by 3.4%, 4.0%, and 5.3%, respectively.