Anodic Behavior of Lithium-Alloyed Lead–Antimony Alloy SSu3 in NaCl Electrolyte

This paper presents corrosion and electrochemical characterization data illustrating the effect of 0.05–1.0 wt % lithium as a structure modifier on the anodic behavior of lead–antimony alloy SSu3 (Pb + 3 wt % Sb) in NaCl electrolyte. The alloy was studied potentiostatically in potentiodynamic mode at a potential sweep rate of 2 mV/s. The results demonstrate that increasing the concentration of the aqueous NaCl solution shifts the corrosion, pitting, and repassivation potentials of the alloys to negative values. The free corrosion potential of the alloys shifts over time to positive values. The same occurs with increasing lithium concentration in SSu3. Moreover, increasing the NaCl concentration in the electrolyte increases the corrosion rate of the alloys, independent of their composition. Lithium additions to SSu3 improve its corrosion resistance. The alloys have been shown to corrode by the pitting mechanism. Acting as a structure modifier, lithium increases their pitting and repassivation potentials, improving the pitting corrosion resistance of the alloys and helping to eliminate emerging pitting corrosion spots.