Corrosion protection properties of copper‐ and carbon‐containing polyethylene films in humid air climates

Abstract

The corrosion protection properties of commercially available polyethylene (PE) films containing copper and carbon were investigated and compared with pure PE films of comparable thickness. The composition of these films was analyzed by thermoanalysis and atom emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and packaging tests were used to determine the ability of copper-and carbon-containing PE films to protect mild steel against corrosion in humid air climates. For the here-investigated samples, no electrochemical activity of copper could be found under these conditions. In contrast to the added copper only the inserted carbon decreased the surface resistance. Additional abrasive tests imply that copper is encapsulated inside the films. For all samples, the permeability to vapor and the insertion of water were similar to the copper and carbon free reference film. The tests in the climate cabinet revealed that mild steel samples packed in copper-and carbon-containing films reached the same degree of corrosion than those in the reference films.