Chemistry Project File

Effect of metal coupling on rusting

of iron
Submitted By: Priyanshu saroj Class: XII
-A Submitted To: Soniya singh

INDEX

1. Certificate
2. Acknowledgement
3. Introduction
4. Prevention
5. treatment
6. Coupling reaction
7. Experiment
8. Bibliography
 Certificate
It has been certified that Priyanshu saroj studying in
XII-A, during the academic year 2023 -2024 has
completed the project on the study of the effect of
metal coupling on the rusting of iron and has given
satisfactory account of this in his project report.

Mrs.soniya singh

(PGT Chemistry)

Signature
 Acknowledgement
I would like to express my gratitude to Mrs. soniya
singh, our chemistry teacher, whose help and
encouragement made this project possible.

Priyanshu Saroj

XII- A
 Introduction

Metals and alloys undergo rusting and corrosion. The process by

which some metals when exposed to atmospheric condition i.e.
moist air, carbon dioxide form undesirable compounds on the
surface is known as corrosion. The compounds formed are usually
oxides. Rusting is also a type of corrosion but the term is restricted
to iron or products made from it. Iron is easily prone to rusting
making it surface rough. Chemically, rust is a hydrated ferric
oxide.
Rust is formed by the redox reaction of iron and oxygen in the
presence of water or air moisture. Rust consists of hydrated iron
(III) oxides Fe2O3.nH2O and iron (III) oxide-hydroxide (FeO(OH),
Fe(OH)3).
Rust is another name for iron oxide, which occurs when iron or an
alloy that contains iron, like steel, is exposed to oxygen and
moisture for a long period of time. Over time, the oxygen combines
with the metal at an atomic level, forming a new compound called
an oxide and weakening the bonds of the metals itself.
Rusting may be explained by an electrochemical mechanism. In the
presence of moist air containing dissolved oxygen or carbon
dioxide, the commercial iron behaves as if composed of small
electrical cells. At anode of cell, iron passes into solution as ferrous
ions.
Fe Fe2+ + 2e-
The electrons from the above reaction move towards the cathode
and form hydroxyl ions
H2O + (O) + 2e- 2OH-
Under the influence of dissolved oxygen the ferrous ions and
hydroxyl ions interact to form rust, i.e., hydrated ferric oxide.
2Fe2+ + H2O + (O) 2Fe3+ + 2OH-
2Fe3+ + 6OH- Fe2O3.3H2O or 2Fe(OH)3
(Rust)
If supply of oxygen is limited the corrosion product may be black
anhydrous magnetite, Fe3
Prevention

Rust is permeable to air and water, therefore the interior metallic

iron beneath a rust layer continues to corrode. Rust prevention
thus requires coatings that preclude rust formation.
Some of the methods used to prevent corrosion and rusting are
discussed here:
 • Galvanization:
The metallic iron is covered by a layer of more active metal such as
zinc. The active metal loses electrons in preference to iron.
Zn Zn2+ + 2e-
Thus, protecting iron from rusting and corrosion.

• Coatings and Paintings:

Rust formation can be controlled with coatings, such as paint,
lacquer, or varnish that isolate the iron from the environment.

• Inhibitors:
Corrosion inhibitors, such as gas-phase or violate inhibitors, can be
used to prevent corrosion inside sealed systems. They are not
effective when air circulation disperses them, and brings in fresh
oxygen and moisture.

• Humidity control:
Rust can be avoided by controlling the moisture in the use of silica
gel packets to control humidity in equipment shipped by sea.

Treatment

Rust removal from small iron or steel objects by electrolysis

can be done in a home workshop using simple materials such
as plastic bucket, tap water, lengths of rebar, washing soda,
baling wire, and a battery charger.
Rust may be treated with commercial products known as
rust converter which contain tannic acid which combines
with rust.

Coupling reaction

A coupling reaction in organic chemistry is a general term for

a variety of reactions where two fragments are coupled with
an aid of metal catalyst. In one important reaction type a
main group organometallic compound of the type RM(R=
organic fragment, M= main group centre) reacts with an
organic halide of the type R’X with formation of a new
carbon-carbon bond in the product R-R’.
 • Catalysts involved in metal coupling
reaction:
The most common catalyst is palladium, but an increasing
number of reactions use nickel. Other catalysts include
copper, platinum, iron, cobalt, and amines.

Experiment
 • Aim:
To study the effect of metal coupling on rusting of iron.

• Requirements:
Two petridishes, four test tubes, four iron nails, beaker, sand
paper, wire gauge. Gelatin, copper, zinc, magnesium strips,
potassium ferricyanide solution, phenolphthalein.

• Procedure:
• Clean the surface of iron nails with the help of sand
paper. Wash them with carbon tetrachloride and dry on
filter paper.
• Wind a clean zinc strip around one nail, a clean copper
wire around the second and clean magnesium strip
around the third nail. Put all these third and a fourth
nail in petridishes so that they are not in contact with
each other.
 • Preparation of agar agar solution. Heat about 3gm of
agar agar in 100ml of water taken in a beaker until
solution becomes clear. Add about 1ml of 0.1M
potassium ferri-cyanide solution, 1ml of phenol-
phthalein solution and stir well the contents.
• Fill the petridishes with hot agar agar solution in such
a way that only lower half of the nails are covered with
the liquids.
• Keep the covered petridishes undisturbed for one day or
so.
• The liquid sets to a gel on cooling. Two types of patches
are observed around the rusted nail, one is blue and the
other is pink. Blue patch is due to the reaction between
ferrous ions and potassium ferricyanide, to form
potassium Ferro-ferricyanide, KFe [Fe(CN)6] whereas
pink patch is due to the formation of hydroxyl ions
which turns colorless phenolphthalein to pink.

Observations:
S.No. Metal pair Colour of the Nail rusts or
patch not
1. Iron-zinc pink No
2. Iron- Pink No
magnesium
3. Iron-copper blue Yes
4. Iron -nail blue Yes

• Conclusion:
It is clear from the observations that coupling of iron with
more electropositive metal such as zinc and magnesium
resists corrosion and rusting of iron. Coupling of iron with
less electropositive metal such as copper increases rusting.

Bibliography:

• NCERT Chemistry – XII

• www.scribd.com
• www.google.com
• Wikipedia