Studi Eksperimental Pengendalian Korosi pada Aluminium 2024-T3 di Lingkungan Air Laut Melalui Penambahan Inhibitor Kalium Kromat (K2CrO4)

Abstract

Aluminium paduan seri 2024-T3 banyak digunakan di industri manufaktur seperti pesawat terbang, otomotif, dan kapal laut karena aluminium merupakan logam ringan dan memiliki sifat mekanik yang baik. Namun demikian aluminium paduan 2024-T3 rentan terhadap korosi bila dioperasikan di lingkungan yang korosif, seperti air laut. Salah satu upaya untuk mengendalikan laju korosi adalah dengan penambahan inhibitor. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mempelajari pengaruh inhibitor kalium kromat (K2CrO4) dalam mengendalikan laju korosi Al 2024-T3 di lingkungan air laut. Pada penelitian ini, jenis inhibitor yang dipakai adalah kalium kromat (K2CrO4) yang ditambahkan di media air laut dengan variasi konsentrasi 0,1%; 0,3%; dan 0,5%. Selanjutnya laju korosi diukur dengan menggunakan metode sel potensial tiga elektroda dengan kalomel (Hg2Cl2) jenuh sebagai elektroda baku sedangkan elektroda tambahan digunakan platina (Pt). Sebagai data pendukung dilakukan uji komposisi, uji struktur mikro, uji kekerasan Vickers dan uji tarik. Hasil penelitian ini memperlihatkan bahwa laju korosi Al 2024-T3 di media air laut tanpa inhibitor sebesar 0,0216 mm/tahun. Penambahan inhibitor kalium kromat (K2CrO4) cenderung menurunkan laju korosi dan konsentrasi optimum tercapai pada 0,5% K2CrO4 ditandai dengan laju korosi minimum yaitu sebesar 0,0134 mm/tahun atau terjadi penurunan laju korosi sebesar 38%. Bentuk korosi yang terjadi berupa korosi sumuran (pitting corrosion) yang disebabkan karena rusaknya selaput pasif. Pada kasus ini inhibitor berfungsi menutup selaput pasif yang rusak tersebut sehingga dapat menghambat laju korosi.

Kata kunci: aluminium paduan, 2024-T3, air laut, korosi , inhibitor, K2CrO4

Aluminium alloy 2024-T3 is widely used in manufacturing industries such as aircraft, automotive and ship industries due to its light weight and good mechanical properties. However, aluminium alloy 2024-T3 is suffered from corrosion attack when it is operated in corrosive environment such as sea water. One of the corrosion control methods is inhibitor addition. The present investigation aimed to study the effect of K2CrO4 inhibitor on controlling corrosion rate in sea water. In this research, K2CrO4 was added to sea water environment with various concentrations, i.e. 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5%. Subsequently corrosion rates were measured using three-electrode potential technique with saturated calomel (Hg2Cl2) electrode as a reference electrode whereas the auxiliary electrode was platinum (Pt). Additional experiments including compositional analysis, microstructural examination, hardness measurement and tensile test were also carried out to gain better understanding to the mechanism in which corrosion attacks aluminium alloy 2024-T3. Experimental results showed that corrosion rate of aluminium alloy 2024-T3 in sea water without inhibitor is around 0.0216 mm/year. The additions of K2CrO4 inhibitor tended to reduce the corrosion rate until a minimum value was obtained, typically 0.0134 mm/year (or 38% decrease) as the amount of K2CrO4 was 0.5%. The type of corrosion observed in this investigation was pitting corrosion as a result of local damage in passive film. Inhibitor seemed to form thin protective film on metal surface hence reducing corrosion rate.

Keywords: aluminium alloy, 2024-T3, sea water, corrosion , inhibitor, K2CrO4