DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL

TOPIC:

RUSTING OF IRON
[CHEMISTRY PROJECT FILE]

BY :
SNIGDHA MONU MISHRA

CLASS - 12th

ROLL NO. – 27
 SERIAL NUMBER CONTENT PAGE NO.

1 OBJECTIVE 3

2 INTRODUCTION 4

3 AIM 6

4 APPARATUS 6

5 PROCEDURE 6

7 OBSERVATION TABLE 7

8 CONCLUSION 7

19 FACTORS PROMOTING 8
RUSTING

10 BIBILIOGRAPHY 10

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this project is to study if acids make steel rust

faster
Introduction
1. Rust is an iron oxide, usually red oxide formed by the redox reaction of iron and oxygen
in the presence of water or air moisture. Several forms of rust are distinguishable both visually
and by spectroscopy, and form under different circumstances. Rust consists of hydrated iron (III)
oxides Fe2O3•nH2O and iron (III) oxide hydroxide (FeO(OH), Fe(OH)3). Given sufficient time,
oxygen and water, any iron mass will eventually convert entirely to rust and disintegrate. Surface
rust is flaky and friable, and provides no protection to the underlying iron, unlike the formation
of patina on copper surfaces. Rusting is the common term for corrosion of iron and its alloys,
such as steel. Many other metals undergo equivalent corrosion, but the resulting oxides are not
commonly called rust. Other forms of rust exist, like the result of reactions between iron and
chloride in an environment deprived of oxygen – rebar used in underwater concrete pillars is an
example – which generates green rust.

Corrosion is often thought of as the oxidation of metals such as iron, but ceramics
also corrode, or react with their environment. Concrete, for example, generally is very
stable, but it contains calcium hydroxide and calcium aluminate, which are attacked
by sulphates, such as calcium sulphate often present in ground water. Tungsten
carbide, usually highly resistant to corrosion, is destroyed in less than a week of
contact with sulphuric acid, H2SO4.
CERAMICS – Most of the ceramics material are almost immune to corrosion. The
strong ionic/covalent bonds that hold them together leave very little free chemical
energy in the structure. So, they can be thought of as already corroded. An example of
corrosion protection in ceramics is the lime added to soda-lime glass to reduce its
solubility in water.
POLYMERS - Corrosion on polymers, both plastics and rubber materials, is in many
cases similar to metals but in other cases it looks very different. Corrosion attacks on
polymers are often hard to discover, the material may look normal but can in fact be
embrittled and have lost its mechanical strength. Mechanical stressed polymers
applied in chemical environments may initiate cracks on the surfaces. These cracks
can thereafter propagate through the material either as a result of the mechanical
stresses or in combination with continuing chemical attack. Corrosion of polymers
can be divided into either chemical reaction or physical interaction.
CHEMICAL REACTION - Polymers consist of a network with molecular chains
mainly consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Corrosion by chemical reaction
changes the configuration of the polymer chains. Listed below are some of the
environments that cause chemical reactions in polymers. 1. Heat: Chain scission will
occur when polymers are exposed to heat above a specified temperature limit, which
is unique for each type of polymer.

RUSTING IN NON METALS

UV- radiation: In the presence of oxygen, UV-radiation can cause a breakdown of the polymer
chains. 3. Ozone: Attacks from ozone on unsaturated polymers (e.g. natural rubber) under stress,
causes characteristic cracks. 4. Water: Absorption of water at elevated temperatures causes
hydrolysis of certain groups in a polymer chain (e.g. urethane and ester groups). Hydrolysis
weakens the polymer since the backbone structure is altered. PHYSICAL INTERACTIONS -
Physical effects on polymers are caused by interaction with the environment. This may lead to
swelling, dissolving or leakage of additives. The interaction is dependent on diffusion of
substances into the polymer, and the process is in some cases reversible. Organic substances
usually affect polymers through physical interaction, while substances like strong acids or bases
normally result in an irreversible breakdown of polymers.

AIM
In this project the aim is to investigate effect of the metals coupling on the rusting of iron. Metal
coupling affects the rusting of iron. If the nail is coupled with a more electro-positive metal like
zinc, magnesium or aluminium rusting is prevented but if on the other hand, it is coupled with
less electro –positive metals like copper, the rusting is facilitated.

APPARATUS
Two Petri dishes
2 Four test-tube
3 Four iron nails
4 Beakers
5 Sand papers
6 Wire gauge
8 Copper, Zinc and Magnesium strips
9 Potassium ferricyanide solutions
10 Phenolphthalein Potassium Ferricyanide Solution

PROCEDURE
1. At first we have to clean the surface of iron nails with the help of sand paper.
2. After that we have to wind zinc strip around one nail, a clean copper wire around the second
and clean magnesium strip around the third nail. Then to put all these three and a fourth nail in
Petri dishes so that they are not in contact with each other
3. Then to fill the Petri dishes with hot agar-agar solution in such a way that only lower half of
the nails are covered with the liquids
4. Keep the covered Petri dishes for one day or so.
5. The liquids set to a gel on cooling. Two types of patches are observed around the rusted nail,
one is blue and the other pink. Blue patch is due to the formation of potassium Ferro-
ferricyanide where pink patch is due to the formation of hydroxyl ions which turns colourless
phenolphthalein to pink.
6. Zinc strip wrapped around one nail shows no colored patches
 OBSERVATION TABLE

PETRI DISH COLOUR OF THE RUST CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

OF THE RUST

A BLUE POTASSIUM
FERROCYANIDE

B PINK HYDROXYL IONS

C No colour No rust formation

CONCLUSION

It is clear from the observation that coupling of iron with more electropositive metals such as
zinc and magnesium resists corrosion and rusting of iron. Coupling of iron with less
electropositive metals such as copper increases rusting.
 FACTORS PROMOTING RUSTING

Four elements need to be present for corrosion to occur and collectively referred to as the
corrosion cell: an anode (+), a cathode (-), a metallic conductor and an electrolyte. Changing the
potency of the electrolyte affects the rate of corrosion. Corrosion rates are determined by a
variety of factors; however, five factors do play an overwhelmingly important role in
determining corrosion rates. Oxygen: Like water, oxygen increases the rate of corrosion.
Corrosion can take place in an oxygen-deficient environment, but the rate of the corrosion
reaction (and destruction of the metal) is generally much slower. In immersed conditions, if an
electrolyte is in contact with one area of metal containing more oxygen than the electrolyte in
contact with another area of the metal, the higher oxygen- concentration area is cathodic relative
to the remaining surface. An oxygen concentration cell then forms, which results in rapid
corrosion. Temperature: Corrosion reactions are electrochemical in nature and usually accelerate
d with increasing temperature; therefore, corrosion proceeds faster in warmer environments than
in cooler ones. Chemical Salts: Chemical salts increase the rate of corrosion by increasing the
efficiency (conductivity) of the electrolyte. The most common chemical salt is sodium chloride,
a major element of seawater. Sodium chloride deposited on atmospherically exposed surfaces
also acts as a hygroscopic material (i.e., it extracts moisture from the air), which then increases
the corrosion in non- immersed areas. Humidity: Humidity and time-of-wetness play a large role
in promoting and accelerating corrosion rates. Time-of-wetness refers to the length of time an
atmospherically exposed substrate has sufficient moisture to support the corrosion process. The
wetter the environment, the more corrosion is likely to occur. Pollutants: Acid rain (a chemical
by-product from manufacturing and processing plants), and chlorides (in coastal areas) promote
corrosion. Acid gases, such as carbon dioxide, can also dissolve in a film of moisture in contact
with the metal.

METHODS OF PREVENTION OF RUSTING

1. Barrier Coatings - One of the easiest and cheapest ways to prevent corrosion is to use barrier
coatings like paint, plastic, or powder. Powders, including epoxy, nylon, and urethane, are heated
to the metal surface to create a thin film. Plastic and waxes are often sprayed onto metal surfaces.
Paint acts as a coating to protect the metal surface from the electrochemical charge that comes
from corrosive compounds. Today’s paint systems are actually a combination of different paint
layers that serve different functions. The primer coat acts as an inhibitor, the intermediate coat
adds to the paint’s overall thickness, and the finish coat provides resistance to the environmental
factors.
 2. Hot-Dip Galvanization- This corrosion prevention method involves dipping steel into molten
zinc. The iron in the steel reacts with the zinc to create a tightly-bonded alloy coating which
serves as protection. The process has been around for more than 250 years and has been used for
corrosion protection of things like artistic sculptures and playground equipment. Compared to
other corrosion prevention methods, galvanization is known for lower initial costs, sustainability,
and versatility.
3. Alloyed Steel (Stainless) - Alloyed steel is one of the most effective corrosion prevention
methods around, combining the properties of various metals to provide added strength and
resistance to the resulting product. Corrosion- resistant nickel, for example, combined with
oxidation-resistant chromium results in an alloy that can be used in oxidized and reduced
chemical environments. Different alloys provide resistance to different conditions, giving
companies greater flexibility.
4. Cathodic Protection - Cathodic protection protects against galvanic corrosion, which occurs
when two different metals are put together and exposed to a corrosive electrolyte. To prevent
this, the active sites on the metal surface need to be converted to passive sites by providing
electrons from another source, typically with galvanic anodes attached on or near the surface.
Metals used for anodes include aluminium, magnesium, or zinc.

BILIBOGRAPHY:
The necessary information for the project is collected from the references stated below:
EVERGREEN Chemistry Lab Manual
http://www.thetrustedtrolley.com.au
http://www.livestrong.com/article/308673-potassium-bisulphate-asa-food-preservative/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_bisulfate