2.

Why does chromium in stainless steels make them more corrosion resistant than plain
carbon steels in many environments?
Chromium in stainless steels makes them more corrosion resistant than plain carbon steels in
many environments due to the formation of a thin, adherent, and stable oxide layer on the surface
of the steel. When chromium is added to steel in sufficient quantities, it reacts with oxygen in the
air to form a protective layer of chromium oxide (Cr2O3) on the surface of the steel. This layer is
extremely thin (only a few nanometers thick) but it is very dense and adherent, which prevents
further oxidation and corrosion of the underlying metal.
The chromium oxide layer is self-healing and self-renewing, meaning that if it is damaged or re-
moved, it will quickly reform to protect the steel from further corrosion. This property of chromium
oxide makes stainless steel highly resistant to a wide range of corrosive environments, including
exposure to moisture, saltwater, acids, and alkalis. In contrast, plain carbon steels do not contain
enough chromium to form a protective oxide layer, and therefore they are much more susceptible
to corrosion in many environments.
In addition to chromium, stainless steels may also contain other elements such as nickel, molyb-
denum, and nitrogen, which further enhance their corrosion resistance properties. These elements
can help to stabilize the protective oxide layer, improve the mechanical properties of the steel, and
provide additional resistance to specific types of corrosion.

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3. For a concentration cell, briefly explain why corrosion occurs at the region having the
lower concentration.
To explain this phenomena is consider an electrochemical cell consisting of two divalent metal M
electrodes each of which is immersed in a solution containing a different concentration of its M2+
[ ] [ ]
ion; let us designate the low and high concentrations of M2+ as ML2+ and MH2+ , respectively.
Now assuming that reduction and oxidation reactions occur in the high- and low-concentration so-
lutions, respectively, let us determine the cell potential in terms of the two [M2+ ]’s; if this potential
is positive then we have chosen the solutions in which the reduction and oxidation reactions are
appropriate.// Thus, the two half-reactions will be:

MH2+ + 2e− → M ε0µ red

M → ML2+ + 2e− −ε0µ Ox

Whereas the overall cell reaction is:

M + M → M + ML
M2t 2t

Using the Nerst equation:

RT
E = E0 − × ln(Q)
nF ([ ])
( 0 ) 0 RT M 2+
E = εu − ε0u − × ln [ L2+ ]
nF MH
([ ] )
−RT M 2+
E= × ln [ L2+ ]
nF MH

[ ] [ ]
In as much as ML2+ < MH2+ then the natural logarithm of the [M2+ ] ratio is negative, which
yields a positive value for ∆V. This means that the electrochemical reaction is spontaneous as writ-
ten, or that oxidation occurs at the electrode having the lower M2+ concentration.

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4.Determine cell potential for the following cell:

References
[1] Callister, W. D., & Rethwisch, D. G. (2013). Materials Science and Engineering: An Introduction.
John Wiley & Sons. From PDF.

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