TYPES OF CORROSION AND RATES OF

CORROSION

Chapter 8

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CORROSION

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 INTRODUCTION
Corrosion is a process of formation of the
compound of pure metal by the chemical
reaction between metallic surface and its
environment.
It is an corrosion process. It causes loss of
metal.
Hence, breakdown of a metal by its
surrounding chemicals through a chemical
reaction on the surface of the metal is called
corrosion.
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 Corrosion comes in many different forms and can
be classified by the cause of the chemical
deterioration of a metal.

 Example: Formation of rust on the surface of iron,

formation of green film on the surface of copper.

 The responsible factors for the corrosion of a

metal are the metal itself, the environmental
chemicals, temperature and the design.

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 TYEPS OF CORROSION
Listed below are 10 common types of corrosion:
I. General Attack Corrosion
II. Localized Corrosion
III. Galvanic corrosion
IV. Environmental Craking
V. Flow Assisted Corrosion
VI. Intergranular corrosion
VII. De-alloying
VIII.Fretting Corrosion
IX. High Temperature Corrosion

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 1. General Attack Corrosion

Also known as uniform

attack corrosion, general
attack corrosion is the
most common type of
corrosion and is caused
by a chemical or
electrochemical reaction
that results in the
deterioration of the
entire exposed surface of
a metal.

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• Ultimately, the metal deteriorates to the point
of failure.

• General attack corrosion accounts for the

greatest amount of metal destruction by
corrosion, but is considered as a safe form of
corrosion, due to the fact that it is predictable,
manageable and often preventable.

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 2. Localized Corrosion
Unlike general attack corrosion, localized
corrosion specifically targets one area of
the metal structure. Localized corrosion is
classified as one of three types:
a) Pitting( hollow ) Corrosion
b) Crevice( gap or fracture) Corrosion
c) Filiform Corrosion

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 a) Pitting corrosion
Pitting results when a
small hole, or cavity,
forms in the metal,
usually as a result of de-
passivation of a small
area. This area becomes
anodic, while part of the
remaining metal
becomes cathodic,
producing a localized
galvanic reaction.
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The deterioration of this small area
penetrates the metal and can lead to
failure.

This form of corrosion is often difficult to

detect due to the fact that it is usually
relatively small and may be covered and
hidden by corrosion-produced compounds

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 b) Crevice Corrosion
Similar to pitting, crevice corrosion occurs at a
specific location. This type of corrosion is often
associated with a stagnant micro-environment,
like those found under gaskets and washers and
hold tightly. Acidic conditions, or a reduction of
oxygen in a crevice can lead to crevice corrosion.

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 c) Filiform Corrosion
Occurring under painted or
plated surfaces when water
breaches the coating,
filiform corrosion begins at
small defects in the coating
and spreads to cause
structural weakness.

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 3. Galvanic Corrosion
Galvanic corrosion, or dissimilar metal
corrosion, occurs when two different metals
are located together in a corrosive electrolyte.
A galvanic couple forms between the two
metals, where one metal becomes
the anode and the other the cathode. The
anode, or sacrificial metal, corrodes and
deteriorates faster than it would alone, while
the cathode deteriorates more slowly than it
would otherwise.
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Three conditions must exist for galvanic
corrosion to occur:

Electrochemically dissimilar metals must be

present

The metals must be in electrical contact

The metals must be exposed to an electrolyte

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4. Environmental Cracking
Environmental
cracking is a corrosion
process that can result
from a
combination of environmental conditions
affecting the metal. Chemical, temperature
and stress-related conditions can result in
the following types of environmental
corrosion:

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a) Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC)
b) Corrosion fatigue
c) Hydrogen-induced cracking
d) Liquid metal

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5. Flow-Assisted Corrosion (FAC)
Flow-assisted corrosion, or flow-accelerated
corrosion, results when a protective layer of
oxide on a metal surface is dissolved or
removed by wind or water, exposing the
underlying metal to further corrode and
deteriorate.

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 6. Transgranular and Intergranular
Corrosion
Intergranular corrosion is a
chemical or electrochemical attack
on the grain boundaries of a
metal. This often occurs due to
impurities in the metal, which
tend to be present in higher
contents near grain boundaries.
These boundaries can be more
vulnerable to corrosion than the
bulk of the metal.

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 8. De-Alloying
De-alloying, or selective leakage, is the
selective corrosion of a specific element in
an alloy. The most common type of de-
alloying is de-zincification of unstabilized
brass. The result of corrosion in such cases is
a deteriorated and porous copper.

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 9. Fretting Corrosion:
Fretting corrosion occurs as a result of repeated
wearing, weight and/or vibration on an uneven,
rough surface. Corrosion, resulting in pits and
grooves, occurs on the surface. Fretting corrosion is
often found in rotation and impact machinery,
bolted assemblies and bearings, as well as to
surfaces exposed to vibration during transportation.

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 10. High-Temperature Corrosion
Fuels used in gas turbines, diesel engines and other
machinery, which contain vanadium or sulfates can,
during combustion, form compounds with a low
melting point. These compounds are very corrosive
towards metal alloys normally resistant to high
temperatures and corrosion, including stainless steel.
High temperature corrosion can also be caused by
high temperature oxidization, sulfidation and
carbonization.

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 RATES OF
CORROSION

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The rate of corrosion is the speed at which a
metal deteriorates in a specific environment.
The rate, or speed, is dependent upon
environmental conditions as well as the
type, and condition, of the metal.

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a) Weight loss (the decrease in metal weight
during the reference time period)
b) Density (density of the metal)
c) Area (total initial surface area of the
metal piece)
d) Time (the length of the reference time
period)

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