Metal Corrosion and Its Prevention Part - 1

Metal Corrosion, its prevention
12 marks
 2.1Corrosion: Types: Dry corrosion-Oxidation corrosion,

mechanism, Nature of oxide film, Wet corrosion-
mechanism, Concentration cell corrosion, Pitting
corrosion, Waterline corrosion, Crevice corrosion
2.2 Factors affecting the rate of corrosion.
2.3 Corrosion control: Modification of environment,

Modification of the properties of metal, Use of protective
coatings, Anodic and cathodic protection, Modification in
design and choice of materials.
Introduction:
• The process of destruction of metal due to the action of
surrounding medium is called as corrosion.
• Any process of deterioration or destruction and consequent

loss of a solid metallic material through an unwanted
chemical or electrochemical attack by its environment at its
surface is called corrosion.
• Ex. Rusting of iron – when iron is exposed to the atmospheric

conditions, a layer of reddish scale and powder of Fe3O4 is formed.
Do All Metals Corrode?
All metals can corrode. Some, like pure iron, corrode
quickly. Stainless steel, however, which combines iron and
other alloys, is slower to corrode and is therefore used more
frequently.
All small group of metals, called the Noble Metals, are

much less reactive than others. As a result, they corrode
rarely. They are, in fact, the only metals that can be found
in nature in their pure form. The Noble Metals, not
surprisingly, are often very valuable. They include rhodium,
palladium, silver, platinum, and gold.
Metal Corrosion
Introduction:
• The process of destruction of

metal due to the action of
surrounding medium is called as
corrosion.
• By through unwanted chemicals

• In the presence of oxygen
• In presence of liquid.
• In presence of acidic medium.
• In the presence of impurities.
Disadvantages of corrosion:
The process of corrosion is slow and occurs only at surface of metals but the
losses incurred are enormous.
Destruction of machines, equipment, building materials and different types of

metallic products, structures etc.
The economic and social consequences of corrosion include
i) Due to formation of corrosion product over the machinery, the efficiency of

the machine gets failure leads to plant shut down.
ii) The products contamination or loss of products due to corrosion.
iii) The corroded equipment must be replaced.
iv) Preventive maintenance like metallic coating or organic coating is required.
v) Corrosion releases the toxic products.

Types of corrosion: -
1.Dry or chemical or atmospheric corrosion.
2. Wet or electrochemical corrosion.

Dry or chemical or atmospheric corrosion –
This type of corrosion occurs mainly by the direct chemical action of
the environment or atmospheric condition.
i.e., by the direct attack of atmospheric gases such as O2, halogens,

H2S, SO2, N2 or anhydrous inorganic liquids on the metal surface
with which they are in contact.
There are 2 main types of chemical corrosion.

1) Corrosion by oxygen (or) oxidation corrosion.
2) Corrosion by other gases like SO2, CO2, H2S and F2 etc.
Corrosion by oxygen (or) oxidation corrosion.
2 M + O2  2MO
metal metal oxide
It is brought about by direct action of oxygen at low (or) high

temperatures, usually in the presence of moisture.
At high temperatures all metals are attacked by oxygen and are
oxidized – except noble metals like Ag, Au, and Pt.
At ordinary temp generally all the metals are slightly attacked.
However alkali metals – Li, Na, K, Rb etc. and alkaline earth metals
– Be, Ca, Sr etc. are attacked very rapidly and get oxidized readily.
Factors affecting the rate of atmospheric corrosion
Impurities in Atmosphere :
Industrial area is highly polluted with corrosive
gaseous like SO2, H2S, H2SO4, HCl, HNO3 fumes
increases the rate of corrosion.
Moisture in Atmosphere :
Atmospheric gases and chemical vapours dissolve in
moisture and moisture act as conducting medium.
Mechanism of Atmospheric corrosion :-
When the metallic surface comes in contact with the atmospheric oxygen, it
undergoes oxidation reaction to form the metallic ions with loss of electron.
M  M2+ + 2e (loss of electron)
whatever electron are lost can be picked by the atmospheric oxygen to form
oxide ions.
1/2O2 + 2e  O2- (gain of electron)
Hence the net reaction is –

M  M2+ + 2e
1/2O2 + 2e  O2-
M + 1/2O2  MO
Hence metal is react with oxygen to form metal oxide layer.

Nature of the oxide film formed: -
It plays an important role in further oxidation corrosion process.
2 M + O2  2MO
metal metal oxide
 Stable oxide film

Porous stable oxide film
Non porous stable film

 Unstable oxide film
 Volatile oxide film
Nature of the oxide formed: -
It plays an important role in further oxidation corrosion process.
Metal + oxygen ---- metal oxide (corrosion product)
Stable oxide layer: - A stable layer is fine grained in structure and

can get adhered tightly to the metal surface. The metallic surface
is completely sealed and surface contact with oxygen is cut off
Consequently further oxidation corrosion is prevented.
E.g.: Al, Sn. Pb, Cu, etc. form stable oxide layers on surface thus
preventing further oxidation.
Porous Stable oxide layer: -
Volume of oxide layer formed is insufficient to cover completely
the larger surface area of metal.
The oxide layer faces stresses and strains, thereby developing

cracks and pores in it structure.
Hence porous oxide layer permits free access of oxygen to the

fresh metal surface through pores and craks and thus corrosion
continues.
E.g.: Alkali metal like Li, K, Na and alkaline earth metals like ca,
Sr, Mg.
Non Porous Stable oxide layer: -
This oxide film is extremely adherent and non porous
(protective).
Due to absence of pores or cracks in the oxide film, it form barrier

for further action.
Hence non porous oxide layer prevent the corrosion process and
decreases the rate of oxidation of metal.
E.g.: The metal like Aluminium, tin, Copper, lead form the non
porous stable oxide film and prevent corrosion .
Unstable Layer: - The oxide layer formed decomposes back into

metal and oxygen
2MO  2 M + O2
Consequently oxidation corrosion is not possible in such cases.
Eg: Ag, Au and Pt do not undergo oxidation corrosion.
Volatile Layer: The oxide layer formed is volatile in nature and

evaporates as soon as it is formed. There by leaving the under
lying metal surface exposed for further attack. This causes rapid
continuous corrosion, leading to excessive corrosion
Ex: Mo- molybdenum forms volatile MoO3 layer.
Wet or Immersed or electrochemical corrosion –
The corrosion of metal which take place in the presence of
liquid through ionic reaction is called as electrochemical
reaction.
Electrochemical corrosion are of two types.
1) Differential metallic corrosion (DMC):

Ex Daniell cell
2) Concentration cell / Differential aeration corrosion (DAC):

Ex. Pitting corrosion
waterline corrosion
crevice corrosion
This type of corrosion is observed when (Principal)
 A conducting liquid is in contact with a metal (or)
 When two dissimilar metals are either immersed (or) dipped

partially in a solution.
 The corrosion occurs due to the existence of separate anodic and
cathodic areas or parts between which current flows through the

conduction soln.
 In the anodic area oxidation reaction takes place so anodic metal is
destroyed by dissolving (or) forming a compound such as an oxide.

 Hence corrosion always occurs at anodic areas .
Differential metallic corrosion (DMC):
Ex. Daniell Cell
Zinc metal is at the top in the electrochemical series, hence it act

as anode. Zn convert into Zn2+ with loss of two electron.
At Anode Zn ------> Zn2+ + 2e –
Two electron are accepted by copper ions and convert into copper
metal.
At cathode Cu2+ + 2e – -------> Cu

Zinc goes in a solution and corroded where as copper is deposited
at copper electrode and get protected.
Necessary condition for electrochemical corrosion :
we may sum up that electrochemical corrosion involves:
i) The formation of anodic and cathodic areas.

ii) Electrical contact between the cathodic and anodic parts to
enable the conduction of electrons.
iii) Presence of conducting medium which act as electrolyte.

iv) Corrosion of anode take place only
v) Formation of corrosion product is somewhere in between

cathode and anode.
Concentration cell / Differential aeration corrosion (DAC):
Ex : Pitting Corrosion :
 It occurs in areas of pit, cavities and pinholes. The pits is oxygen deficient and
act as anode where as the plane surface is oxygen rich and act as cathode.
 As the area of anode is small, the rate of corrosion will be high.
 Pitting of metal generally occurs because of cracking in the protective film on
the metal surface. It may be due to scratches, surface roughness and chemical
attack.
Concentration cell / Differential aeration corrosion (DAC):
Ex : Waterline Corrosion :
 If Zn metal is partially immersed in a liquid then metal above the water

act as cathode. The part of Zn metal below the water act as anode
 Thus, a potential develop that causes a flow of current between two
areas of the same metal. Zn dissolves at the anodic areas which indicate
the waterline corrosion.

Metal Corrosion and Its Prevention Part - 1

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Metal Corrosion, its prevention

 2.1Corrosion: Types: Dry corrosion-Oxidation corrosion,

2.2 Factors affecting the rate of corrosion.

2.3 Corrosion control: Modification of environment,

• Any process of deterioration or destruction and consequent

• Ex. Rusting of iron – when iron is exposed to the atmospheric

All small group of metals, called the Noble Metals, are

• The process of destruction of

• By through unwanted chemicals

Destruction of machines, equipment, building materials and different types of

The economic and social consequences of corrosion include

i) Due to formation of corrosion product over the machinery, the efficiency of

ii) The products contamination or loss of products due to corrosion.

iii) The corroded equipment must be replaced.

iv) Preventive maintenance like metallic coating or organic coating is required.

v) Corrosion releases the toxic products.

2. Wet or electrochemical corrosion.

i.e., by the direct attack of atmospheric gases such as O2, halogens,

There are 2 main types of chemical corrosion.

It is brought about by direct action of oxygen at low (or) high

Hence the net reaction is –

Hence metal is react with oxygen to form metal oxide layer.

 Stable oxide film

Non porous stable film

Metal + oxygen ---- metal oxide (corrosion product)

Stable oxide layer: - A stable layer is fine grained in structure and

The oxide layer faces stresses and strains, thereby developing

Hence porous oxide layer permits free access of oxygen to the

Due to absence of pores or cracks in the oxide film, it form barrier

Unstable Layer: - The oxide layer formed decomposes back into

Volatile Layer: The oxide layer formed is volatile in nature and

Electrochemical corrosion are of two types.

1) Differential metallic corrosion (DMC):

2) Concentration cell / Differential aeration corrosion (DAC):

 When two dissimilar metals are either immersed (or) dipped

cathodic areas or parts between which current flows through the

destroyed by dissolving (or) forming a compound such as an oxide.

Zinc metal is at the top in the electrochemical series, hence it act

At cathode Cu2+ + 2e – -------> Cu

we may sum up that electrochemical corrosion involves:

i) The formation of anodic and cathodic areas.

iii) Presence of conducting medium which act as electrolyte.

v) Formation of corrosion product is somewhere in between

 As the area of anode is small, the rate of corrosion will be high.

 Pitting of metal generally occurs because of cracking in the protective film on

 If Zn metal is partially immersed in a liquid then metal above the water

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