Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
1. Uniform corrosion
Definition:
Uniform corrosion occurs at the same rate over the exposed metal surface. For example,
metal such as cast irons and steels corrode uniformly in open atmospheres due to
exposure to soils and natural waters which cause the material to rust and silver tarnishes
due to exposure to air. This type of corrosion is mainly cause by oxygen in natural
environment.
Mechanism:
In corrosion process, the anodic reaction is always an oxidation reaction:
M = M+ + e (1)
In acidic environment which pH < 7, the cathodic process is major by the reduction of
hydrogen ions:
2H+ + 2e = H2 (2)
In natural or alkaline environment, which pH ≥ 7, the cathodic process is mainly by the
reduction of dissolve oxygen:
O2 + 2H2O + 4e = 4OH- (3)
Uniform pattern of distribution of cathodic reactants over the metal surface that exposed,
reaction (2) and reaction (3) occur in a uniform manner and there is no favoured site for
cathodic or anodic reaction. This anodes and cathodes are placed randomly and
alternating with time. The final result is more or less uniform loss of dimension.
Prevention:
a) Use thicker materials for corrosion allowance
b) Use corrosion inhibitors or modifying the environment
c) Cathodic protection (Sacrificial Anode or Impressed Current -ICCP) and Anodic
Protection
d) Use paints or metallic coatings such as plating, galvanizing or anodizing
2. Stress corrosion cracking (SSC)
Definition:
Stress corrosion cracking is a cracking process that needs the simultaneous action of
corrodent and sustained tensile stress. This type of corrosion happen due to combination
with hydrogen embrittlement
Mechanism:
Stress corrosion cracking is caused by the conjoint action of three component which are a
susceptible material, a specific chemical species and tensile surface. There is no
integrated mechanism for stress corrosion cracking in the literature. There are plenty of
models have been proposed which include the following adsorption model, film rupture
model, pre-existing active path model and embrittlement model.
Prevention:
a) Avoid the chemical species that cause stress corrosion cracking
b) Use of materials known not to crack in the specified environment
c) Control of hardness and stress level
d) Introduce compressive stress by shot-peening for example
e) Control operating temperature and/or the electrochemical potential of the alloy