Abstract:The flow corrosion of copper in seawater was investigated with the rotating electromagnetic corrosion experimental bench for 12 d. Scanning electron microscopy equipped with EDAX and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used for the analysis of surface microstructure and phase composition of samples. The results indicate that the composition of Cu₂O and CuO is created in corrosion products film after drying in the air, and the flow corrosion process can be successively defined as uniform pitting corrosion, expansion, formation of corrosion film, solution of surface products and pitting corrosion. Corrosion inhibition of copper during flow corrosion can be significantly improved with rotating electromagnetic field in the seawater.

Key words: copper; corrosion inhibition; rotating electromagnetic; microstructure