CORROSION Meta Fitri Rizkiana, S.T.

,
M.Sc.
PASSIVITY

Some normally active metals and alloys, under

particular environmental conditions, lose their
chemical reactivity and become extremely inert.
 This phenomenon, called passivity
 Example: chromium, iron, aluminium
Passive behavior results from the formation of a
highly adherent and very thin oxide film on the
metal surface, which serves as a protective
barrier to further corrosion.
Stainless steels are highly resistant to corrosion in a
rather wide variety of atmospheres as a result of
passivation.
 They contain at least 11% chromium that, as a solid-solution
alloying element in iron, minimizes the formation of rust;
 A protective surface film forms in oxidizing atmospheres.
 Stainless steels are susceptible to corrosion in some environments,
and therefore are not always “stainless.”
Aluminum is highly corrosion resistant in many
environments because it also passivates.
If damaged, the protective film normally reforms very
rapidly.
However, a change in the character of the environment
alteration in the concentration of the active corrosive
species may cause a passivated material to revert to
an active state.
CATEGORIES AND FORMS OF
CORROSION (MECHANIC OF
ATTACK) Original surface

Group I: readily identified by

visual examination.
1. General corrosion
2. Localized corrosion
– Crevice corrosion pitting

3. Galvanic corrosion

Noble metal
Base metal
 erosion flow
Group II: may require
supplementary means of
examination.
5. Velocity effect Cavitation bubbles

• Erosion-corrosion
• Cavitation
• Fretting load
vibration
6. Intergranular attack (IGA)
7. Dealloying (parting corrosion)
Exfoliation Weld decay
HAZ Weld

Layer Plug
 Stress corrosion cracking (SCC)
GROUP III
Static stress
Usually should be verified by
microscopy (optical or SEM),
although sometimes can be Corrosion fatigue
observed visually.
8. Cracking phenomena Dynamic stress
– Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC)
– Hydrogen-Assisted Cracking
(HAC), Sulfide Corrosion Internal attack
Cracking (SSC)
– Liquid Metal Fissure (celah)
Cracking/Embrittlement (LMC/E)
9. High-temperature corrosion
Scaling
scale
I-(1) GENERAL
CORROSION
Characterized by an even, regular loss of metal from the corroding
surface.
 Apply to all metals at some conditions
 Atmospheric rusting
 Zinc dissolution by dilute acid
 Tarnishing silver
 It is the most desirable form of attack
 Easy and reliable to predict the life of equipment.
 Observed in single metal or bimetallic metal corrosion.
I-(2) LOCALIZED
CORROSION
All or most of attack occurs at discrete areas.
 To be a “pit” its depth => wide
 Pitting may cause brittle crack failure
 Unwanted form of corrosion attack
 Usually attack corrosion resistant metals
Crevice corrosion:
 occurs in crevices and recesses.
 Usually due to oxygen concentration cell effects.
I-(3) GALVANIC
CORROSION
Known as bimetallic or two metal corrosion
 Accelerated attack by electrical contact between
dissimilar conductor in an electrolyte.
 Anodic member of the couple suffers the most
 Lower ratio of anodic area to cathodic area increases
the damage.
 Farther apart the relative positions between the anodic
and the cathodic in the galvanic series, more higher the
potential of corrosion.
 II-(4) VELOCITY
EFFECT
Comprise of
 Erosion-corrosion
 Cavitations
 Fretting
Erosion-corrosion
 Attack by high-velocity flow or impingement
 Two mode of attack:
 Purely mechanical: abrasion and wear
 Corrosion related: protective film is removed by the flow
 Identified distinctively by flow pattern
Cavitations
 Attack by implosion of bubbles formed where local pressure
drops below the vapor pressure.
 Observed frequently on ship propellers, pump impellers.
Fretting
 Associated with motion
 Tearing away of small particles between the facing surfaces.
II-(5) INTERGRANULAR
ATTACK (IGA)
 Attack at the grain boundaries of metal
 The whole grain may fall out
 Caused by
 improper heat treatment
 Heat affected zones (HAZ) of weld
II-(6) DEALLOYING
CORROSION
Or parting corrosion
 Selective removal of one metallic constituent of an alloy.
 Dezincifation of yellow brass.
 Layer-type: removal occur uniformly
 Plug-type: removal localized to form pit
Selective leaching
Weakens structure seriously without changing the
apparent physical dimension.
III-(7) CRACKING
PHENOMENA
Environmental cracking
a) Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC)
– An anodic process
 Chloride SCC of stainless steel
b) Hydrogen-Assisted Cracking (HAC)
– A cathodic process
 Sulfide stress cracking (SSC) of hardened steel by H2S.
c) Liquid Metal Cracking (LMC) or Liquid Metal
Embrittlement (LME)
– A fissuring process by liquid metal
 Action of Hg on cold-worked brass
 Action of molten Zn on austenitic SS.
 III-(8) HIGH TEMPERATURE
CORROSION

Phenomena involving conversion of the metal to a metallic

compound
 Metal  oxide
 Metal  halides, sulfides, carbides, nitrides, etc.
Reaction may occurs
 At surfaces or
 Within the metal structure
CORROSION PREVENTION:
INHIBITORS

Substances that, when added in relatively low

concentrations to the environment, decrease its
corrosiveness.
The specific inhibitor depends both on the alloy and on the
corrosive environment.
INHIBITORS
Several mechanisms:
a) React with and virtually eliminate a chemically
active species in the solution (such as dissolved
oxygen).
b) Inhibitor molecules attach to the corroding surface
and interfere with either the oxidation or the
reduction reaction, or form a very thin protective
coating.
Inhibitors are normally used in closed systems
such as automobile radiators and steam
boilers.
CATHODIC
PROTECTION
One of the most effective means of corrosion prevention,
Can be used for all eight different forms of corrosion,
May, in some situations, completely stop corrosion.
Cathodic protection technique employs a galvanic couple:
 the metal to be protected is electrically connected to another
metal that is more reactive in the particular environment.
 The latter experiences oxidation, and, upon giving up electrons,
protects the first metal from corrosion.
 The oxidized metal is called a sacrificial anode,
 Mg and Zn are commonly used because they lie at the anodic
end of the galvanic series.