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  • Rust Chemistry: Fe(s) Fe (Aq) + 2e

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    Muthu Kumar
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    Rusting is an electrochemical process that requires the presence of water, oxygen, and an electrolyte. When these elements come into contact with iron, a series of oxidation-reduction reactions occur. Iron atoms at the surface are oxidized into soluble ferrous ions, while oxygen and hydrogen ions are reduced to form water molecules. As the ferrous ions accumulate, they react with hydroxide ions to form insoluble iron hydroxides, like green rust or hydrated ferric oxides, which appear red-brown and are commonly known as rust. The formation of rust is affected by changes in pH and the presence of other ions that can form precipitates mixed in with the iron hydroxides.

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    Rust Chemistry

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    Rusting is an electrochemical process that requires the presence of water, oxygen, and an electrolyte. When these elements come into contact with iron, a series of oxidation-reduction reactions occur. Iron atoms at the surface are oxidized into soluble ferrous ions, while oxygen and hydrogen ions are reduced to form water molecules. As the ferrous ions accumulate, they react with hydroxide ions to form insoluble iron hydroxides, like green rust or hydrated ferric oxides, which appear red-brown and are commonly known as rust. The formation of rust is affected by changes in pH and the presence of other ions that can form precipitates mixed in with the iron hydroxides.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    8 views3 pages

    Rust Chemistry: Fe(s) Fe (Aq) + 2e

    Uploaded by

    Muthu Kumar
    Rusting is an electrochemical process that requires the presence of water, oxygen, and an electrolyte. When these elements come into contact with iron, a series of oxidation-reduction reactions occur. Iron atoms at the surface are oxidized into soluble ferrous ions, while oxygen and hydrogen ions are reduced to form water molecules. As the ferrous ions accumulate, they react with hydroxide ions to form insoluble iron hydroxides, like green rust or hydrated ferric oxides, which appear red-brown and are commonly known as rust. The formation of rust is affected by changes in pH and the presence of other ions that can form precipitates mixed in with the iron hydroxides.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    3/2/2015

    Rustchemistry

    GLOSSARIES
    corrosion
    electrochemistry
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    WEBMASTER

    RustChemistry
    Rustingofironconsistsoftheformationofhydratedoxide,Fe(OH)3,FeO(OH),orevenFe2O3.H2O.Itisanelectrochemicalprocesswhichrequires
    thepresenceofwater,oxygenandanelectrolyte.Intheabsenceofanyoneoftheserustingdoesnotoccurtoanysignificantextent.Inair,arelative
    humidityofover50%providesthenecessaryamountofwaterandat80%orabovecorrosionofbaresteelisworse.
    Whenadropletofwatercontainingalittledissolvedoxygenfallsonansteelpipe,thesolidironorFe(s)underthedropletoxidizes:
    Fe(s)>Fe2+(aq)+2e
    Theelectronsarequicklyconsumedbyhydrogenionsfromwater(H2O)anddissolvedoxygenorO2(aq)attheedgeofthedroplettoproducewater:
    http://www.corrosiondoctors.org/Experiments/rustchemistry.htm

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    Rustchemistry

    4e+4H+(aq)+O2(aq)>2H2O(l)
    Moreacidicwaterincreasescorrosion.IfthepHisverylowthehydrogenionswillconsumetheelectronsanyway,makinghydrogengasinsteadof
    water:
    2H+(aq)+2e>H2(g)
    Butwhere'stherust?Theequationsabovetellonlyasmallpartofthestory.
    Hydrogenionsarebeingconsumedbytheprocess.Astheironcorrodes,thepHinthedropletrises.Hydroxideions(OH)appearinwaterasthe
    hydrogenionconcentrationfalls.Theyreactwiththeiron(II)ionstoproduceinsolubleiron(II)hydroxidesorgreenrust:
    Fe2+(aq)+2OH(aq)>Fe(OH)2(s)
    Theiron(II)ionsalsoreactwithhydrogenionsandoxygentoproduceiron(III)ions:
    4Fe2+(aq)+4H+(aq)+O2(aq)>4Fe3+(aq)+2H2O(l)
    Theiron(III)ionsreactwithhydroxideionstoproducehydratediron(III)oxides(alsoknownasiron(III)hydroxides):
    Fe3+(aq)+3OH(aq)>Fe(OH)3(s)
    ThelooseporousrustorFe(OH)3canslowlytransformintoacrystallizedformwrittenasFe2O3.H2Othefamiliarredbrownstuffthatiscalled"rust"
    formingtuberclesasshownhere.Sincetheseprocessesinvolvehydrogenionsorhydroxideions,theywillbeaffectedbychangesinpH.Withlimited
    O2,magnetiteisformed(Fe3O4).

    http://www.corrosiondoctors.org/Experiments/rustchemistry.htm

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    Rustchemistry

    (picturecourtesy)
    Ifotherionslikecalciumorcarbonatearepresent,theymakeavarietyofprecipitatesthatmixinwiththeironhydroxidetoproduceacrusty,twisted
    coatingwhichcaneitherslowcorrosionbycuttingtheironofffromtheacid,water,andairsupplyorgrowintoconvolutedshapescalledtubercles.
    Thegrowthofthesetuberclescangreatlyaffecttheflowofwaterthroughwatermainsasshownhere.
    Seealso:Chemistryofcorrosion,Equilibriumreactionsofironinwater,Ironcorrosionproducts,Ironspeciesandtheirthermodynamicdata,Pourbaix
    diagramofiron

    http://www.corrosiondoctors.org/Experiments/rustchemistry.htm

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