Difference Between Rust and Corrosion

Rust vs Corrosion

While growth is a natural process affecting everything on Earth, its opposite, which
is death and disintegration, are also as certain as all the changes that take place. It
is evident in all things especially in living things.

Take man, for example. He exists the moment he is conceived by his mother, and
then he is born into the world and grows into a child, a teenager, and an adult. After
some time he will grow old, and his body functions will disintegrate. In time, his
body will no longer be able to carry on and he will die.

Just like living things, even non-living materials disintegrate in time. This may be
caused by chemical reactions or by natural reactions to the elements in the
environment. Rust and corrosion are two processes that cause the disintegration of
materials.

Corrosion is the chemical or electrochemical reaction that causes an engineered

material to disintegrate as a reaction to its surroundings. Metals are the usual
materials that undergo corrosion. It is a gradual process with the elements eating
away at the materials making it deteriorate and break up because of the oxidation
of the metals as a chemical reaction to an oxidant, usually oxygen.

While it is common in metals, it can also happen to other materials such as

ceramics and polymers, but it is called by another name which is degradation.
Exposed materials are prone to corrosion, and they can be just a crack in a small
area, or they can be concentrated in a larger part. The discoloration of painted
materials, when paints fade due to neglect, is an example of corrosion. Even without
a visible oxidant, materials can still corrode when left in the open air.

Rust, on the other hand, is a type of corrosion which happens to iron and its alloys
(Alloy - An alloy is a homogeneous hybrid of two or more elements, at
least one of which is a metal, and where the resulting material has
metallic properties. The resulting metallic substance usually has different
properties (sometimes substantially different) from those of its
components or a metal made by combining two or more metallic elements,
especially to give greater strength or resistance to corrosion). When iron
reacts to water or the moist air, iron oxides are formed and cause the material to
corrode and rust. It is caused by oxidation and moisture and not by chemicals. This
happens when impure iron comes in contact with water or moist air and oxygen or
other oxidants, such as acids, and forms rust.

Other factors or oxidants that can cause rust are salt, sulfur oxide, and carbon
dioxide. Rust comes in different forms, the most common of which is the red rust
which is formed by red oxides. Chlorine in water causes the formation of green rust.
Like most corrosive processes, rusting is a gradual process. After some time, if the
material is not treated, it will disintegrate, and everything will turn to rust making it
unusable.

Summary:

1.Corrosion is the disintegration of materials due to chemical or electrochemical

reactions while rust is a type of corrosion.
2.Corrosion is the disintegration of all types of metals as well as materials such as
polymers and ceramics while rust is the corrosion of iron and its alloys.
3.Corrosion is caused by a materials reaction to chemicals while rust is caused by
water or moisture and oxidation.

Difference Between Corrosion and Rusting

Corrosion and rusting are two chemical processes, which result in disintegration of
materials.
Corrosion
When a material reacts with the external environment, over a time, its structure will be
deteriorated, and breaks down into small pieces. Ultimately, it can disintegrate into the
atomic level. This is known as corrosion. Most commonly this happens to metals. When
exposed to the external environment, metals will undergo oxidation reactions with
oxygen in the atmosphere. Other than metals, materials like polymers, ceramics can
also undergo disintegration. However, in this case, it is known as degradation. The
external factors that cause metals to corrode are water, acids, bases, salts, oils, and
other solid and liquid chemicals. Other than these, metals corrode when exposed to
gaseous materials like acid vapors, formaldehyde gas, ammonia gas, and sulfur
containing gases. The basis of the corrosion process is an electrochemical reaction. In
the metal where corrosion is taking place, a cathodic and anodic reaction takes place.
When metal atoms are exposed to water, they give up electrons to oxygen molecules
and form positive metal ions. This is the anodic reaction. The produced electrons are
consumed by the cathodic reaction. The two places where cathodic reaction and anodic
reaction take place can be close to each other or far apart depending on the
circumstances. Some materials are resistance to corrosion, while some are prone to
corrosion. However, corrosion can be prevented by certain methods. Coating is one of
the methods to protect materials from corrosion. This includes painting, plating, applying
enamel on the surface, etc.
Rusting
Rusting is a chemical process, which is common with the metals containing iron. In
other words, the corrosion process taking place when there is iron, it is known as
rusting. For rusting to take place, there should be certain conditions. In the presence of
oxygen and moisture or water, iron undergoes this reaction and form a series of iron
oxide. This reddish-brown color compound is known as rust. So, rust contains hydrated
iron (III) oxide Fe O nH O and iron (III) oxide-hydroxide (FeO(OH), Fe(OH) ). If rusting
starts at one place, it will eventually spread, and the whole metal will be disintegrated.
Not only iron, but the metals containing iron (alloys) also undergo rusting.
2

Rusting begins with the transfer of electrons from iron to oxygen. Iron atoms transfer
two electrons and form iron (II) ions as follows.
Fe Fe + 2 e
2+

Oxygen forms hydroxide ions by accepting electrons in the presence of water.

O + 4 e + 2 H O 4 OH
-

Above reactions are accelerated in the presence of acids. Further, when there are
electrolytes like salts, the reaction is further enhanced. Rust contains iron (III) ions, so
the formed Fe undergoes redox reaction, to give Fe as follows.
2+

3+

4 Fe + O 4 Fe + 2 O
2+

3+

Fe and Fe undergo following acid base reactions with water.

3+

2+

Fe + 2 H O Fe(OH) + 2 H
2+

Fe + 3 H O Fe(OH) + 3 H
3+

Ultimately, a series of hydrated iron oxides is formed as rust.

Fe(OH) FeO + H O
2

Fe(OH) FeO(OH) + H O
3

2 FeO(OH) Fe O + H O
2

What is the difference between Corrosion and Rusting?

Rusting is a type of corrosion.

When iron or materials containing iron undergo corrosion, it is known as rusting.

Rusting produce a series of iron oxide, whereas corrosion can result in salts or oxides
of the metal.