Influence of RE and Impurity Elements on the Intergranular Corrosion of ZA27 Alloys

To understand the influence of impurities and rare earth elements in nature on the intergranular corrosion of the zinc-aluminum alloys, taking efficient methods to retard the inter granular corrosion, the atomic cluster of α phase grain boundary including impurities (Pb, Sn, Cd), rare earth elements (La, Y) and phase grain was constructed by computer programming based on the coincidence-site lattice theory. The recursion method was used to calculate the charge transfer over the grain boundary of α phase, and discuss influence of impurities (Pb, Sn, Cd) and Rare Earth elements (La, Y) on the electrode-potential of Zn and Al. The results shows that impurity elements (Pb, Sn, Cd) can increase the charge transfer between atoms over the grain boundary, leading to the large difference of electrode-potential between Zn and Al. Therefore the eroding is speeding up, but the RE element can reduce the charge transfer between atom sover the grain boundary, and lower the difference of electrode-potential between Zn and Al. Thus RE element is of the role of restraining the inter granular corrosion of zinc-aluminum alloys.