AIM

TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF PRESENCE OF AIR, WATER, ACID

AND ALKALI FOR RUSTING OF IRON.

INTRODUCTION :

As soon as the metal are extracted from their ores, to reverse process begins i.e. the metals have

the tendency to go back to their combine state, in which they occur (mostly oxides). This is called

corrosion. Thus corrosion is exactly the reverse of extraction of metals.

Recently corrosion has been defined as the deterioration of as substance because of its reaction

with its environment. That is why when iron is exposed to air or moisture, it gets quickly oxide to

anhydrous oxide and thus corrosion taken place, this is called rusting of iron. The information of this

oxide layer affords no protection for metal surface rather it promotes corrosion.

WHAT IS RUST :

Rust is the mixture of ferric hydroxide Fe (OH)3 and ferric oxide Fe2O3 and is produced by the

Action of water on iron is presence of dissolved oxygen and some times carbon dioxide also.

A large number of theories have been proposed from time to time explain the

phenomenon of rusting. The most satisfactory is “ELECTRO CHEMICAL THEORY”. The electro

chemical theory explains the corrosion fully.

CORROSION

Corrosion is an electro chemical process and occur only if metal is at a negative reduction

potential than the metal at which hydrogen is discharged so that electrons always flow from the metal

that is corroded to the hydrogen ions.

The red or orange coating that forms on the surface of iron when exposed to air and moisture is

called rust. Rust is chiefly a mixture of ferric hydroxide and ferric oxide a when surface of a metal

becomes wet due to rain or otherwise carbon dioxide from air in contact with the surface is observed by

this water to produced hydrogen ions in cathodic region.

H2 O(1) + CO2 (g) H+ (Aq) + HCO3 (Aq)

H2 O H+ + OH –

2H+ + 2e H2

(RELEASED BY IRON)

H2CO3 HCO3

H2O OH–

Hydroxyl or bicarbonate ions attacks the iron surface to form anodix regions in which iron losses

electrons and pass on to ferrous state which is further oxidized to ferric state by oxygen of the air. The

released electrons move towards the cathode region where hydrogen ions are converted into hydrogen

gas.
The anodic process is :-

2Fe (s) + 4OH (aq) 2Fe (OH)2 (s) 4

The cathodic process is :

2H2O (1) + 02(g) + 4e (aq) 4 OH (aq)

The moist air further oxidizes iron (II) hydroxide to iron (III) hydroxide.

4Fe (OH)2 + O2 + 2H2O 4Fe (OH)3 or

MOIST AIR 2Fe2O3.2H2O

The IRON (III) hydroxide loses water readily to form (III) oxide with varying amount of water. The

brown coating or rust formed does not stick to the iron surface and therefore, rusting is a continuous

process. On rusting, iron objects become rough, holes or cavities appear which become deeper and

deeper.
 EXPERIMENT

AIM : TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF PRESENCE OF AIR, WATER, ACID AND ALKALI

ON RUSTING OF IRON.

APPARATUS :

FIBER BOILING TUBES, CONICAL FLASK, CORKS.

MATERIAL REQUIRED :

Iron nails, cotton wood, dil HCL or H2SO4, dil NaOH, Anhydrous CaCl2, CC14, Vaseline

and distilled water.

PROCEDURE

1. Take the iron nails in a conical flask and add CCI4. Shake well and pour of CCI4. Dry the

nails in an over clean.

2. Dry the boiling tubes and label them 1 to 5.

3. Put some anhydrous CaCI2 in boiling tube No. 1 and insert a cotton wool plug. Put some

dry iron nails in the tube and cork it. Keep it a side for two to three days.

4. In the boiling tube nmo 2 take some iron nails and add 10 ml of boiled distilled water free

from dissolved oxygen. Add 4-5ml of molten Vaseline. It floats on the surface of water which is now no

longer in contact with air. Cork the boiling tube and keep is aside for two to three days.

5. Then take some iron nails in boiling tube no. 3 and and 10 ml of dilute NaOH sol.

Prepared in air free distilled water. Pour 4-5 ml of molten Vaseline which floats over water and cuts off

air. Cork the tube and keep it aside for two to three days.
 6. Take some iron nails in boiling tube No 4 and add about 10 ml of dilute HCI. Cork the

boiling tube and keep it aside for two to three days.

7. Take some iron nails in boiling tube No. 5 and add 2-3 ml of tap water. It covers the nails

partically. Cork the boiling tube and keep it aside for two to three days.
OBSERVATIONS

Observed carefully in which boiling tube the iron nails are rusted and in which once these are not rusted.

BOILING TUBE IRON NAILS IN CONTACT WITH RUSTED OR NOT

NO RUSTED

1 DRY AIR ( NO MOISTURE ) RUSTED

2. MOISTURE BUT NOT AIR NOT RUSTED

3. Dil. NaOH, moisture but no air NOT RUSTED

4. Dil HCI. Moisture as well as air RUSTED

5. Air, moisture and some electrolyte RUSTED

present in tap water

PREVENTION OF RUSTING

Iron and steel are widely used that the fight against rusting is of paramount importance. Iron is protected

from rusting by one or more of the following methods :-

i) Protection by metallic coatings which are more resistance to corrosion as that of tin, nickel, zinc,

chromium.

ii) Protection by oxide (Fe3O4) , phosphate (FePo4) or other chemical coatings. Application of

solutions containing phosphoric acid and orthophosphate produces on insoluble tenacious film or iron

phosphate.

iii) Film of oil and grease are used on tool and machinery to prevent rusting.

iv) Protection by paints, lacquers and enamels, vitreous enamels is prevents rusting and may also be

decorative.

1. SACRIFICIAL PROTECTION (GALVANIZATION) :

It is a process of coating iron surface by a layer of Zn metal. It is one of most effective method to

prevent corrosion or iron. The protective action of zinc is as shown below :

2. CATHODIC PROTECTION :

It this method, a plate of an reactive metal line Zn or Mg buried beside the iron pipe which is to

be protected and connected to it by wire. Iron pipe becomes the cathode and more reactive metal acts as

anode. The reactive metal anode is sacrificial for iron. The reactive metal plates are removed from time

to time as they get oxidized

 3. BARRIER PROTECTION (TIN PLATING) :

Tin cans consists of iron electro plated with tine A scratch exposes the iron surface which

ultimately come in contact with air and moisture. Tin and iron forms s galvanic couple with H ions from

air and water acting as the electrolyte. Iron can loss electron more readily than tin. The released

electrons travel to the time coating and convert hydrogen ions into hydrogen gas. Iron forms the anodic

region and tin, cathodic region. In this case, ironic corroded and not tin layer whereas in galvanized iron

zinc layer is corroded and not iron.

4. ANTI RUST SOLUTION :

Alkaline phosphate and alkaline chromate solutions are used for this purpose. Application of

phosphate results in the formation of protective layer of insoluble phosphate while availability of H+

ions is prevented because of the alkaline nature of the solution.

5. ELECTRICAL PROTECTION :

A positive electrical potential may be applied to the exposed parts of iron surface in

contact with water to protect them from corrosion and tendency of e to be last is decreased. Also

magnesium or zinc cathodic can be fixed to iron surface.

RESULTS

1. In boiling tube No 1, Air was present but there was no moisture. In boiling tube No. 2 Moisture

was there but air was not present. In both the cases no rusting was observed. In boiling tube No. 3, both

air and moisture were present was rusting. As such as conclude that :-

Both air and moisture are necessary for rusting.

2. In boiling tube no 3, moisture was present but no air was present. As expected there was no

rusting. Because the excess of OH from NaOH in this case shifts the following equilibrium to the left

and thus prevents the formation of Fe3+ .

4Fe 2+ + 2H2O + O2 4Fe3+ + 4OH

3. In boiling tube No. 4 , both air and moisture are there and rusting is observed as expected.

Pressure of dil. HCI has not made any difference. In fact presence of H+ from HCI helps rusting. This is

because H+ ions remove OH– ions in the above equilibrium. This shift the equilibrium forward resulting

in the formation of more Fe3+ and helps rusting.