A wide range of corrosion reactions are responsible for the corrosion of automobiles. Since the development of more corrosion resistant cars by automotive engineers requires a knowledge of the processes that control corrosive attack, it is necessary to describe in detail the different mechanisms that are relevant to automotive corrosion. The corrosion of metals in the gaseous and aqueous environments in which automobiles must operate involves the setting up of electrochemical corrosion cells. The corrosion produced by these cells is controlled by thermodynamic factors and kinetic factors. The thermodynamic factors determine the tendency of the monument to corrode. The kinetic factors determine how fast the corrosion will take place and is used in deciding whether, even though corrosion is possible, the rate at which it occurs is acceptably slow.

Subject
Corrosion currents, Corrosion rate, Metal surfaces, Passive films, Anode surfaces, Anodic reactions, Ion concentrations, Film formation, Metals, Automotive, Oxygen, Corrosion potential, Passivity
Keywords:
corrosion mechanisms, automobile corrosion, corrosion kinetics, corrosion thermodynamics, localized corrosion mechanisms, electrochemistry of corrosion, passivity, galvanic corrosion, atmospheric corrosion
© 1991 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
1991
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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