Selective leaching, also known as dealloying, is a form of corrosion where one element is selectively removed from an alloy, leaving behind a weakened, porous structure. This phenomenon occurs when certain environmental conditions favor the dissolution of one component of the alloy over others. For example, in brass, zinc can be preferentially leached out, leaving a porous copper structure. Selective leaching compromises the mechanical properties of the alloy and can lead to failure in structural applications.
