Artificial Neuronal Networks for the Prediction of Atmospheric Corrosion in Bronze with Nanostructured Patinas with SiO2
Authors: Méndez Figueroa Henevith Gisell , Colorado Garrido Darío , Galván Martínez R. , Hernandez Miguel Ángel , Orozco Cruz Ricardo 
Published: July 2021

Introduction

Atmospheric corrosion is the main cause of metallic heritage degradation when they are exposed to relative humidity, temperature cycle and air contaminants. Corrosivity maps are one of the preventive strategies for atmospheric corrosion mitigation, but they do not provide enough information about corrosion mechanism, besides that long experimentation periods are required [1]. Moreover, electrochemical techniques are alternatives to speed up results, but their relationship with constantly changing environmental variables is difficult to control.
Currently, Artificial Intelligence has been introduced in corrosion engineering studies, because of its capability to make predictions based on big data. Also, experimental data of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy had been used in Artificial Neural Network training to obtain Nyquist Diagrams [2]. The objective of this work is to obtain computational models of Artificial Neural Networks to predict atmospheric corrosion in Bronze with nanostructured patina with SiO2, in marine environments.

Method

Environmental parameters were taken from database previously reported [3,4], and from Civil Protection Secretariat of Veracruz. Whilst electrochemical evaluation consists in Polarization Resistance and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy; they were carried out in a Gamry Interface 1000 Potentiostat with a Saturated Calomel Reference Electrode (SCE) and a graphite bar as counter electrode in an agar gelled cell. Meanwhile, working electrode was bronze with nanostructured patina with SiO2. Two patina were prepared, the first with CuSO4 solution (0.015 mol L-1) and the second applying a CuNO3 solution (20% wt).
The 13 variables used in the database for Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) training were: exposure time, chloride concentration, sulfur compounds concentration, relative humidity, precipitation level, windspeed, temperature, nanocoating presence, corrosion potential, corrosion rate, frequency, real and imaginary component of impedance. The values of each variable were treated with measures of central tendency and dispersion, as well as correlation matrix and histograms, which allowed to find a relationship between variables, and choosing the inputs for ANN. The prediction models consisted in 5, 9, 10 and 12 neurons in the input layer (R5E, R9E, R10E and R12E, respectively), a hidden layer, and Zima as only neuron in the output layer. The number of neurons in hidden layer varied from 1 to 8 until the highest coefficient of determination was achieved. The computational model was performed using the toolbox in MATLAB with a feedforward ANN. It is worth mention that the hidden and output layers used a hyperbolic tangent and a linear transfer function, respectively, and a Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm as training function was used in the models.

Results and Conclusions

Figure 1 presents the coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean squared error (RMSE) with different ANN architectures. In the four models, the highest value was reached with 8 neurons in the hidden layer. Then, the linear regressions for R5E, R9E, R10E and R12E models and 8 neurons in the input layer were compared in Figure 2. In that sense, the Nyquist Diagrams in Figure 3 were simulated with the R9E and R12E models. Also, they were compared with experimental Nyquist Diagrams for Bronze with patina of CuSO4 and CuNO3, with and without SiO2 nanoparticles, at 56 days of exposure in marine atmospheres. The simulations demonstrated how an ANN model with 12 neurons in the input layer, 8 neurons in the hidden layer and 1 neuron in the output layer can be used as a corrosion prediction model of bronze with nanostructured patina with SiO2.

References

[1] M. Morcillo, Atmospheric Corrosion in Ibero-America: The MICAT Project, in: Atmospheric Corrosion, ASTM Special Technical Publication (Org.). STP 1239 Atmospheric Corrosion. Ed. W. Kirk and H. Lawson. West Conshohocken, USA: ASTM International, 257-275 (1995); doi: 10.1520/STP14924S.
[2] D. Colorado-Garrido, S. Serna, M. Cruz-Chávez, J. A. Hernández & B. Campillo, B, Artificial neural networks for electrochemical impedance spectroscopy sour corrosion predictions of nano-modified microalloyed steels, in: 2010 IEEE Electronics, Robotics and Automotive Mechanics Conference. Morelos, México: IEEE, 185-190 (2010); doi: 10.1109/CERMA.2010.31.
[3] A. A. Triana-Romero, Desempeño electroquímico de una pátina artificial de CuSO4, como réplica de metales históricos, estabilizado a través de un recubrimiento de partículas nanométricas. Thesis (Bachelor) - Universidad Veracruzana, Boca el Río, Veracruz, México (2019).
[4] Y. Caballero-Pérez, Evaluación electroquímica de una pátina artificial de CuNO3, como réplica de metales históricos, y su consolidación a través de un nano-recubrimiento de SiO2. Thesis (Bachelor) - Universidad Veracruzana, Boca el Río, Veracruz, México, (2019).

Figure 1