Corrosion Engineering Lab

ChE 3220

Experiment No: 01
Experiment Name: Determination of corrosion rates of different
metals at different pH

Submitted to:
M.G. Toufik Ahmed
Lecturer
Department of Chemical Engineering, KUET.

Shuvashish Mondal
Lecturer
Department of Chemical Engineering, KUET

Md. Faisal Ferdous

Lecturer
Department of Chemical Engineering, KUET

Submitted By:
Safina Kamal Shoily
Roll No: 1829013
Group No: 02
Date of Performance: 31.10.22
Date of Submission: 11.12.22
1.0 Summary:
The experiment was conducted to find out how rapidly metals corrode in bases and acids. The
comparison of different metals' reactions to HCl and KOH is also given. The metals were
dipped in both an acid and a base for a fixed duration (15 minutes) of the experiment, and their
reactions were then tracked. Data collected during the experiment revealed that of the four
metals used, aluminum exhibited the highest corrosion, followed by stainless steel and carbon
steel. In either an acid or a base, copper metal did not corrode at all. These findings are
supported by the activity series, which shows that copper is the least reactive of the four metals
while aluminum is most reactive and impure alloy (impurities in Stainless Steel) can helps to
corrode metal. The experiment gives an idea how the environment can rapidly influences
corrosion process of metals, alloys in life.

2.0 Introduction:
Corrosion is a natural process that results in the degradation of a material when a refined metal
is naturally changed into a more stable form, such as its oxide, hydroxide, or sulfide state.
Corrosion, in other words, is the degradation of a substance as a result of its contact with its
environment and can happen at any moment or time throughout the processing of petroleum
and natural gas. Different types of material [Fe, Cu, Brass, Stainless-Steel (ss), Ni] gives
different types of response according to corrosive environment. Acidic environment influence
the propagation of corrosion rate of most of the metals. For example, in 4 N HCl solution
(among Fe,Cu, Brass) Fe is more corrosive, 4N HNO3 solution Cu is more corrosive (Memon
Samina, 2011) .Among them stainless steel is less corrosive in low pH.
The quantity of chromium in stainless steel has a significant impact on how well it resists
corrosion. When the top layer is scratched off of stainless steel, a new chromium oxide layer
cannot develop if there is not enough chromium present close to the surface. The material is
now extremely susceptible to many kinds of corrosion as a result (Marline Steel, 2021).
Stainless steel composite's mixed chromium dissolves in weak hydrochloric acid to produce
solutions that contain hydrogen gas (H2) and the aqueous Cr (II) ion.
Cr(s) + 2HCl (aq) → Cr2+ (aq) + 2Cl-(aq) + H2 (g)
Iron is more corrosive in presence of nitric acid (HNO3) than sulfuric acid (H2SO4). The
presence of water, air, and hydrogen ions speeds up the rate at which iron corrodes in sulfuric
acid.
Fe(s) + H2SO4 (aq) → FeSO4 (aq) + H2 ( g)
Copper oxidation results in a beautiful patina coat that preserves aesthetic value while also
minimizing corrosion and preventing further oxygen exposure. Copper does not corrode in
acids as activity of copper is below hydrogen. Aluminium is very reactive towards with air
water producing a thin layer of alumina on its surface. This turns to passivation.
2Al(s) + 3H2SO4 (aq) →Al2(SO4)3(aq)+3H2(g)
Despite having inherent corrosion resistance, stainless steel may and will rust under specific
circumstances, but less rapidly and severely than normal steels and other metals. When exposed
to harsh chemicals, salt, grease, moisture, or heat over an extended length of time, stainless
steel corrodes like strong chlorides can be a cause pitting corrosion in stainless steel,
bimetallic/galvanic corrosion from welding dissimilar stainless steel alloys, for applying
temperature extremes to stainless steel and environment with high pH leads to corrosion
(Reliance Foundry Co. Ltd., 1925). In such cases extra precaution need to be maintained for
further uses of metals.

3.0 Methodology:
3.1 Apparatus Required:
1. Metal (Carbon-steel, Cu, Al, Stainless-steel)
2. Beaker
3. HCl
4. KOH
5. Tongue
6. Weight scale
7. Stop watch

3.2 Experimental Setup:

1. Beaker 2. Weight scale 3. Metal (stainless steel)

3.3 Experimental Procedure:

a. At first, long metal rod of stainless-steel with 3-millimeter diameter had cut into small
pieces of 1 inch long. The small pieces then had weighed and recorded.
b. Then a beaker containing Hydrochloric acid (HCl) for acidic corrosion and another
beaker of potassium hydroxide (KOH) for alkaline corrosion had taken.
 c. Two stainless-steel rods had put in the two beakers in such way that the metal piece had
totally submerged in the acid and base.
d. After every 15 minutes had past, the metals had taken out from the beakers using
crucible tongs carefully and taken essential measurements.
e. Removing the acid and base from the metal surface using tissue, the metals had weighed
and the data had recorded.
f. The rods again submerged in the beakers carefully for another 15 minutes to react.

4.0 Observed Data:

Table 01: Table of Stainless-Steel weight for both Hydrochloric acid and Potassium
Hydroxide at constant time intervals.
No. Time Stainless Steel Stainless Steel
t Weight in Acid Weight in Alkali
(minute) Solution Solution
(g) (g)
01 0.00 2.03 2.31
02 15.00 1.16 2.31
03 30.00 1.14 2.31
04 45.00 1.13 2.31
05 60.00 1.13 2.31
06 75.00 1.13 2.31

Table 02: Table of Carbon Steel weight for both Hydrochloric acid and Potassium Hydroxide
at constant time intervals.
No. Time Carbon Steel Weight in Acid Carbon Steel Weight in
t Solution Alkali Solution
(minute) (g) (g)
Carbon 0.00 10.05 9.81
02 15.00 9.69 9.81
03 30.00 9.50 9.81
04 45.00 9.50 9.81
05 60.00 9.48 9.81
06 75.00 9.47 9.81

Table 03: Table of Aluminum weight for both Hydrochloric acid and Potassium Hydroxide
at constant time intervals.
 No. Time Aluminum Weight Aluminum Weight
t in Acid Solution in Alkali Solution
(minute) (g) (g)
01 0.00 4.44 4.39
02 15.00 0.93 4.24
03 30.00 0.50 4.21
04 45.00 0.41 4.12
05 60.00 0.39 4.02
06 75.00 0.38 3.95

Table 04: Table of Copper weight for both Hydrochloric acid and Potassium Hydroxide at
constant time intervals.
No. Time Copper Weight in Copper
t Acid Solution Weight in Alkali
(minute) (g) Solution
(g)
01 0.00 3.04 3.08
02 15.00 3.04 3.08
03 30.00 3.04 3.08
04 45.00 3.04 3.08
05 60.00 3.04 3.08
06 75.00 3.04 3.08

5.0 Calculated Data

Equation Used to Determine Weight loss of Material:
4m
Diameter, D=√Lρπ; Where, m= mass of the material,

L=Length of the material,

ρ= Density of the material.
πD2
Total area of the material, A= πDL+ 2
Δm
Corrosion rate= A×t; where, Δm=difference of mass of two consecutive observation,

A= Total Area,
t= total time elapsed.
Table 05: Table for calculated data of Stainless Steel.
No. of Time, t S.S. weight in Corrosion rate S.S. Corrosion
Observation (min) Acid solution, of S.S. in acid weight in rate of
𝐦𝐠
W1 (g) (𝐜𝐦𝟐 .𝐦𝐢𝐧) Alkali S.S. in
solution, alkali
𝐦𝐠
W2 (g) (𝐜𝐦𝟐 .𝐦𝐢𝐧)
01 0 2.03 0 2.31 0
02 15 1.16 19.08 2.31 0
03 30 1.14 0.59 2.31 0
04 45 1.13 0.29 2.31 0
05 60 1.13 0 2.31 0
06 75 1.13 0 2.31 0

Table 06: Table for calculated data of Iron.

No. of Time, t Iron weight in Corrosion rate Iron Corrosion
Observation (min) Acid solution, of Iron in acid weight in rate of
𝐦𝐠
W1 (g) (𝐜𝐦𝟐 .𝐦𝐢𝐧) Alkali Iron in
solution, alkali
𝐦𝐠
W2 (g) (𝐜𝐦𝟐 .𝐦𝐢𝐧)
01 0 10.05 0 9.81 0
02 15 9.69 3.16 9.81 0
03 30 9.50 1.67 9.81 0
04 45 9.50 0 9.81 0
05 60 9.48 0.18 9.81 0
06 75 9.47 0.09 9.79 0.183

Table 07: Table for calculated data of Copper.

No. of Time, t Copper Corrosion rate Copper Corrosion
Observation (min) weight in Copper in acid weight in rate of
𝐦𝐠
Acid solution, (𝐜𝐦𝟐 .𝐦𝐢𝐧) Alkali Copper in
W1 (g) solution, alkali
𝐦𝐠
W2 (g) (𝐜𝐦𝟐 .𝐦𝐢𝐧)
01 0 3.04 0 3.08 0
02 15 3.04 0 3.08 0
03 30 3.04 0 3.08 0
04 45 3.04 0 3.08 0
05 60 3.04 0 3.08 0
06 75 3.04 0 3.08 0
Table 08: Table for calculated data of Aluminum.
No. of Time, t Aluminum Corrosion Aluminum Corrosion
Observation (min) weight in rate of weight in rate of
Acid solution, Aluminum in Alkali Aluminum
W1 (g) acid solution, in alkali
𝐦𝐠 𝐦𝐠
(𝐜𝐦𝟐 .𝐦𝐢𝐧) W2 (g) (𝐜𝐦𝟐 .𝐦𝐢𝐧)
01 0 4.44 0 4.39 0
02 15 0.93 46.06 4.24 1.96
03 30 0.50 5.64 4.21 0.39
04 45 0.41 1.18 4.12 1.18
05 60 0.39 0.26 4.02 1.31
06 75 0.38 0.13 3.95 0.91

6.0 Results and Discussion:

The experimental data for numerous metals has been shown as weight loss versus time to show
how the metals respond in acid and alkali.

Metal corrosion in Hydrochloric acid (HCl)

12

10

8
Weight (g)

6 S.S.
Aluminum
4
Iron

2 Copper

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Time (min)

Fig 01: Figure showing corrosion of metal in acid.

According to the graph, copper corrodes more slowly than iron or stainless steel or aluminum.
Because copper is below hydrogen in the activity series, it functions as a cathode and does not
corrode at all in an acid solution when hydrogen dissociates. In the presence of air, copper
oxidizes and surface color is lost. The rate of iron corrosion that was observed was higher than
anticipated.
Metals behaves different in high pH alkali environment than acidic. The following plot
representing metals behavior in potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution.
 Metal corrosion in Potassium hydroxide (KOH)
12

10

8 S.S.
weight (g)

Aluminum
6
Iron
4 Copper

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Time (t)

Fig 02: Figure showing corrosion of metal in alkali.

Metals don't corrode with alkalis very much, on average. From the plot it is clear that, the
alkali solution did not cause corrosion in copper, iron, or stainless steel. However, the
experiment showed that some corrosion did occur on aluminum in an alkaline solution.
Aluminum corrodes in the way described below when exposed to potassium hydroxide.
2Al+2KOH+6H2O=2KAl (Memon Samina, 2011)(OH4)+3H2

Fig 03: Corrosion rate vs Time plot

The plot of corrosion rate versus time shows that corrosion rate decreased with time as the
formation of passive layer in the metal surface and the activity of acidic ion or concentration
of H+ ion decreases as a result of reaction. At fresh acidic solution the rate was fast but as time
passes, the rate decreased.
This figure shows the visual condition of the stainless-steel rod before and after the experiment
performed.

Fig 04: Stainless steel rod

1. before corrosion 2.after corrosion.

7.0 Conclusion:
The results of the experiment show that metals corrode in acid more frequently than in base.
This is because the majority of metals are electron donors, and bases are also electron donors,
therefore they do not typically react with one another. But among them stainless steel corrode
less than others as it contains chromium and not pure iron. However, most metals react with
acid in certain environments and to the extent of their reduction potential. According to the
results of this experiment, stainless steel did not corrode at all in both acid and base whereas
aluminum corrodes the most in both and copper didn’t at all corrode in both solution.

8.0 Future recommendation:

The experiment was done by only hydrochloric (HCl) acid and potassium hydroxide (KOH). So
how different concentrated or diluted acidic and alkali environment influence corrosion
process that was not encountered. A fixed molar solution of acid and base was used. Few
metals were used, in this case there is a chance to improve the test by increasing the number
of tested metals. Proper instrumentation was absent. Because of having improper lab facility,
it was difficult to run the experiment. Finally, this lab should include corrosion prevention in
order to understand how to prevent corrosion in metal.

9.0 Appendix:
Sample Calculation:
Sample Calculation for Stainless Steel in Acid medium for No. 01
Mass, m=1.16 g
Density, ρ= 7.85 g/cm3 [4]
Length, L= 2.54 cm

4m 4×1.16
Diameter, D=√Lρπ = √2.54×7.85×π = 0.27cm;

πD2 𝜋×0.272
Area, A= πDL+ = π×0.27×2.54 + = 2.27 cm2
2 2

Time required from start, t=15 min

Mass at t=15 min is=1.16 g
Mass at t=30 min is= 1.14 g
Mass reduced, Δm= (1.16-1.14)g = 20 mg
Δm 20 mg
Corrosion rate= A×t = 2.27×15 = 0.587 cm2 .min

10.0 References
Marline Steel, 2021. Marline Steel. [Online]
Available at: https://www.marlinwire.com/blog/5-things-that-will-corrode-stainless-steel
[Accessed 11 /12/ 2022], 4.09 PM

Memon Samina, A. K., 2011. Corrosion Study of Iron and Copper Metals and. E-Journal of Chemistry,
p. S345.

Reliance Foundry Co. Ltd., 1925. Reliance Foundry, Since 1925. [Online]
Available at: https://www.reliance-foundry.com/blog/does-stainless-steel-rust,
[Accessed 11 /12 /2022], 3.49 PM