Influence of Nano-TiO₂ Reinforcement Percentage on the Electrochemical and Morphological Corrosion Behaviour of Cold Work Aluminium Composites

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of nano-TiO₂ (nTiO₂) reinforcement on the corrosion behaviour of cold work aluminium composites in a 0.3M H₂SO₄ environment. Al-nTiO₂ composites were fabricated with 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, and 5% weight fractions of nano-TiO₂ using stir casting. The corrosion performance was evaluated using potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The results show that increased TiO₂ content enhances corrosion resistance up to 5%, particularly at lower cold-working loads. Sample J (5% TiO₂, 2 kg load) exhibited the lowest corrosion rate (0.09474 mm/yr) and highest polarization resistance (809.58 Ω). SEM/EDX analysis revealed denser passive layers and reduced sulfur compound deposits in higher TiO₂ composites. This work highlights the effectiveness of nano-TiO₂ in improving electrochemical stability and corrosion morphology of aluminium composites in acidic environments.