Effect of temperature on the Electrochemical corrosion behaviour of titanium

The influence of variations in temperature on the electrochemical corrosion properties of VT 1‐0 commercial titanium was studied in deaerated 1 mol/dm3 sulphuric acid between 293 and 353 K. Galvanostatic and quasi‐potentiostatic polarization measurements were carried out. Corrosion rates were determined by mass loss measurements, too. The slopes of the cathodic Tafel‐like lines obtained with galvanostatic polarization change anomalously with temperature. The corrosion rates calculated from the mass loss data increase with increasing temperature at a higher rate than those determined with the polarization method, pointing to a self‐dissolution process. The results are attributed to a hydride layer with a H/Ti ratio increasing with temperature. Titanium hydride may play a dominant role both in the hydrogen evolution reaction and in the self‐dissolution process.