Corrosion

Metals, Polymers, Ceramics

Destruction by open atmosphere

Loss of mechanical strength and other properties

The destruction of engineering materials (metal, polymer and ceramic)
caused by open atmosphere is called corrosion.

1. Dry corrosion or Chemical corrosion;

Caused by dry gases eg O2, Cl2, H2S etc
2Ag + Cl2 = 2 AgCl

Fe + H2S = FeS + H2

2. Wet corrosion; Electrochemical corrosion

+H2O
Fe + O2 = Fe2O3. X H2O
 Electrochemical Corrosion
Iron is most useful engineering material

Therefore RUSTING of Fe is best example of corrosion

H2O
M + O2 MO.xH2O

H2O
Fe + O2 Fe2O3.xH2O

For this three electrode can be considered for electrochemical mechanism

A (A)
1. Fe ++ + 2e = Fe, E0 = -0.44 V
Fast rxn

(C) Very slow redox rxn

2. 2H2O + 2e = H2 + 2 OH -, E0 = - 0.42 V
C 3. O2 + 2 H2O + 4e = 4OH -, E0 = + 0.40 V
At anode (oxidation)
Fe + 2e = Fe ++, ]x2 E0 = 0.44 V
At cathode (reduction)

O2 + 2 H2O + 4e = 4OH -, E0 = + 0.40 V

Net rxn; 2Fe + O2 + 2 H2O = 2Fe++ + 4OH -, E0 = + 0.84 V

Fe(OH)2
+ O2
2Fe(OH)3
-3H2 O
Fe2O3
+xH2O
Fe2O3 .xH2O
(Rust of iron)
Galvanic cell diagram of rusting
Iron obtained from blast furnace at very high temperature contains
C, Mn as impurities which are not homogeneously distributed with
Fe. Therefore, some portion of same iron rod have high reduction
potential and some have low reduction potential. As a result, one pit
(portion) of rod can act as anode & another portion of same rod can
acts as cathode as shown in above diagram. At anodic portion Fe
atom gives Fe++ ion by losing e. These lost e can move from anode
to cathode by means of metallic conductor and gained jointly by
water and oxygen molecules to form OH- ion. Fe++ move from anode
to cathode by means of water & combines with OH - to give first
Fe(OH)2 then Fe(OH)3 and finely Fe2O3.xH2O called rust of iron
Prevention of corrosion
Sn coating Zn coating
1. Coating
(a) Painting
(b) Coated with Sn
(c) Coated with Zn (galvanization) Fe Fe

2. Making alloys

3. Use of sacrificial anode

4. Protective layer formation

5. Use of inhibitors (arsenic oxide, chromates, phosphates)

6. Use of oil & grease

Different types of corrosion
Self study from any book