Spontaneous dissolution of Cu15Zn alloy in aerated or oxygenated 2.0 M H2SO4

Abstract The corrosion rate of a Cu15Zn α-brass rotating disc in argon-, air- or oxygen-saturated 1 M H 2 SO 4 was measured in the temperature range 10–65°C. In the argon-saturated acid the sample does not corrode with any measurable rate. In the air- or oxygen-saturated acid in the temperature up to 30°C the reaction occurs in the activational control regime, in the temperature range 30–40°C in the mixed kinetics regime, and in the temperature 65°C in the diffusional regime with respect to the oxygen dissolved in the acid. The corrosion behaviour of Cu and Zn in the examined Cu15Zn alloy is similar to that of metallic copper corroding in similar conditions.