A SEMINAR ON

GALVANIC
CORROSION

BY
SAMEER ALI KHAN
M Tech M/c Design
092090001
 What is Corrosion?

Corrosion is the deterioration of materials

by chemical interaction with their environment. 

The term corrosion is sometimes also

applied to the degradation of plastics, concrete and
wood, but generally refers to metals.
Effects of corrosion:

Losses are economic and safety:

•Reduced Strength
•Downtime of equipment
•Escape of fluids
•Lost surface properties
•Reduced value of goods

The consequences of corrosion are many and

varied and the effects of these on the safe, reliable and
efficient operation of equipment or structures are often
more serious than the simple loss of a mass of
metal. Failures of various kinds and the need for
expensive replacements may occur even though the
amount of metal destroyed is quite small.
 The Eight Forms of Corrosion
1. Uniform attack (general corrosion);

2. Galvanic corrosion;

3. Crevice corrosion;

4. Pitting;

5. Intergraular attack (“IGA”);

6. Selective leaching;

7. Flow-Accelerated Corrosion;

8. Stress corrosion cracking (“SCC”)

Introduction

Galvanic corrosion (also called “dissimilar metal

corrosion” and “Electrolytic corrosion”) occurs when a
metal or alloy is electrically coupled to another metal or
conducting nonmetal in the same electrolyte.

When dissimilar metals are electrically coupled

(i.e., galvanic coupling), corrosion of the less corrosion
resistant metal increases, and the surface becomes
anodic, while corrosion of the more corrosion resistant
metal decreases, and the surface becomes cathodic. The
driving force for corrosion or galvanic current flow is the
potential developed between the dissimilar metals.
 Galvanic Corrosion Factors (Variables)

A collection of factors affecting galvanic corrosion of metals presented by

Oldfield includes the following:

Type of joint:
welded, fasteners, separated but with external connection

Total geometry:
area ratio, distances involved, surface shape, surface condition, number of galvanic
cells

Bulk solution properties:

oxygen content, pH, conductivity, corrosivity, pollutant level

Bulk solution environment:

temperature, flow rate, volume, height above surface

Mass Transport:
migration, diffusion, convection Reaction kinetics:
metal dissolution, oxygen reduction overvoltage, hydrogen evolution overvoltage

Electrode potentials:
galvanic potential between metals, standard electrode potentials (the latter as a
"rough" guide only)
Surface Area Effects in a Galvanic Corrosion

Another important factor in galvanic corrosion is

the area effect or the ratio of cathodic to anodic area. The
larger the cathode compared with the anode, the more
oxygen reduction, or other cathodic reaction, can occur
and, hence, the greater the galvanic current. From the
standpoint of practical corrosion resistance, the least
favorable ratio is a very large cathode connected to a
very small anode. This effect is illustrated in the
following series of pictures.
The GALVANIC TABLE indicates that iron is anodic with respect
to copper and therefore is more rapidly corroded when placed
in contact with it. This effect is greatly accelerated if the area
of the iron is small in comparison to the area of the copper, as
shown below.

Steel rivets on a copper bar submerged in 3% sodium chloride solution at the start of the experiment

Steel rivets on a copper bar submerged in 3% sodium chloride solution after six months

Steel rivets on a copper bar submerged in 3% sodium chloride solution after ten months
 However, under the reverse conditions when the area of the iron
is very large compared to the copper, the corrosion of the iron is only
slightly accelerated.

Copper rivets on a steel bar submerged in 3% sodium chloride solution at the start of the experiment

Copper rivets on a steel bar submerged in 3% sodium chloride solution after six months

Copper rivets on a steel bar submerged in 3% sodium chloride solution after ten months
Galvanic corrosion Examples:
Rainwater Guttering:

This rainwater guttering is made of

aluminium and would normally resist corrosion
well. Someone tied a copper aerial wire
around it, and the localised bimetallic cell led
to a “knife-cut” effect.
 Tyres in Bicycles:

Galvanic corrosion can be even worse

underneath the tyre in bicycles used all
winter. Here the corrosion is so advanced
it has penetrated the rim thickness.
 Tubing of Aircraft Hydraulic System:

The tubing, shown here was part of an aircraft’s hydraulic

system. The material is an aluminium alloy and to prevent
bimetallic galvanic corrosion due to contact with the copper alloy
retaining nut this was cadmium plated. The plating was not
applied to an adequate thickness and pitting corrosion resulted in
addition with the galvanic corrosion.
 Aluminium Rim of bicycle:

This polished Aluminium rim was left over Christmas

with road salt and mud on the rim. Galvanic corrosion
has started between the chromium plated brass spoke
nipple and the aluminium rim.
 Auto Body Panel:

Galvanic corrosion of painted steel auto body panel in

contact with stainless steel wheel opening molding.
Control of Galvanic Corrosion:

Two different metals of approximately the same area are

joined to form a galvanic couple in a corrosive solution;

we are to reduce the corrosion by coating (e.g., painting) one

component of the couple. Do we coat the anode or the cathode?

CS Tank
wall

Area of Galvanic
Corrosion (close
to Joint)

Weld

SS Tank
bottom
 So we can conclude that, Galvanic corrosion is under
cathodic control … if we reduce the area of the Cathode
(by coating, etc.) we reduce the corrosion; if we reduce
the area of the Anode, corrosion will continue at the same
rate but over a smaller area, so perforation etc. will occur
sooner.

TO REDUCE GALVANIC CORROSION BY

COATINGS, THE MORE CORROSION-
RESISTANT (i.e. THE MORE NOBLE OR
CATHODIC) COMPONENT OF THE COUPLE IS
COATED.
GALVANIC SERIES
Platinum

more cathodic
Gold
Graphite

(inert)
Titanium
Silver
316 Stainless
Steel
Nickel (passive)
Copper
Nickel (active)
more anodic

Tin
(active)

Lead
316 Stainless
Steel
Iron/Steel
Aluminum Alloys
Cadmium
Zinc
 ZINC PLATING (“ GALVANIZING”)

•Steel sheeting is coated with zinc by hot-dipping in the molten

metal, by heating with zinc dust (“Sherardizing”), etc.

•The Zn coating acts as a sacrificial anode... at the inevitable

imperfections, holes, etc., zinc dissolves preferentially, deposits
loose, flocculant Zn(OH)2 from aqueous solution.

Protection continues as long as enough Zn is left ... if large enough

areas of steel are exposed steel corrosion will occur usually at the
middle of the exposed area.
 MINIMIZE GALVANIC CORROSION:

•Select metals as close together as possible in

galvanic series;

•Avoid small-anode/large-cathode combinations . . .

choose fasteners of more noble materials;

•Insulate dissimilar metals (e.g., sleeve bolts in

flange joints, as well as use insulating washers);

•Add inhibitors, if possible, to environment;

•Avoid threaded joints where possible;

•Design for anodic member (make thicker, easily

replaceable, etc.);

•Install a third metal that is anodic to BOTH in the

couple.