CHAPTER 4

CORROSION AND ITS PREVENTION

Introduction of Corrosion
Facts about Corrosion
Causes of Corrosion
Types of corrosion
E ffects of corrosion
Factors affecting
corrosion
Prevention or control of
corrosion

Introduction of
Corrosion
The branch of Engineering that deals with
the study of corrosion and its prevention
safely is known as corrosion Engineering.
Corrosion:
The loss of material(metals or alloys) or its
useful properties by chemical interaction
with its environment is known as corrosion.
Examples;
oRusting of iron.
oBlackening of silver articles in atmosphere.
oFogging of nickel.

Facts about corrosion

1. Corrosion is a natural process.
2. Corrosion is an electrochemical
process.
3. Corrosion leads to a tremendous
loss.
4. Corrosion is the reverse of metal
extraction.

Causes of
Most metals exist in nature in combined forms that is in the
corrosion
form of ore. So extraction
of metal from its ores is an
unnatural process in which component of a stable system is
being separated.
Ore
extraction
Metal
corrosion
corrosion
product
Stable
gain es
mteta stable loss of es
stable
During the process of extraction a number of steps like
concentration, Roasting ,and Smelting are involved and
finally the ore is reduced into metal.
therefore metals in their finally refined state are highly
unstable and have a tendency to revert back in their
original state that is to stable state by the process of
corrosion(oxidation).

Example; Rusting of iron is the most

popular
example of corrosion.
Usually the Surface of metal is covered with a thin layer of
oxide. When this layer is broken, bare surface is exposed
to the environment and this area act as an anode while
the remaining area act as cathode.
since the medium is exposed to the atmosphere, it
contain dissolved oxygen. Thus at cathode oxygen
reduction take place while at anode iron corrodes.
4 Fe
4Fe+2 +8 e Oxid. At anode
O2 + 4H2O + 8 e
8OHRed. At
cathode
___________________________
4Fe + 6H2O + 3O2
4Fe(OH)3
Fe2O3. nH2O

Types of corrosion
1.Uniform corrosion
This is also called general corrosion. The
surface effect produced by most direct
chemical attacks (e.g., as by an acid) is a
uniform etching of the metal.

2.
Galvanic Corrosion
Galvanic corrosion is an electrochemical
action of two dissimilar metals in the
presence of an electrolyte and an
electron conductive path. It occurs when
dissimilar metals are in contact.

3.
Crevice or contact corrosion
Crevice or contact corrosion is the
corrosion produced
at the region of contact of metals with
metals or
metals with nonmetals. It may occur at
washers,
under barnacles, under applied protective
films.

4.
Corrosion in Concrete
Concrete is a widely-used structural
material that is
frequently reinforced with carbon steel
reinforcing
rods, post-tensioning cable or pre-stressing
wires. The
steel is necessary to maintain the strength
of the
structure, but it is subject to corrosion.

5. Erosion corrosion
Erosion corrosion is the result of a combination of an
aggressive chemical environment and high fluid-surface
velocities.

6. Dealloying
Dealloying is a rare form of corrosion
found in copper alloys, gray cast iron,
and some other alloys. Dealloying
occurs when the alloy loses the active
component of the metal and retains the
more corrosion resistant component
in a porous "sponge" on the metal surface.

Effects of corrosion

Reduced Strength
Downtime of equipment
Lost surface properties
Reduced value of goods

Factors affecting corrosion

1. Presence of impurities in metals
Speed of corrosion increases with the presence of
impurities in the metals because these impurities
help
in setting up the voltaic cells.
2. Presence of electrolyte
Electrolytes present in water also increases the rate
of
corrosion e.g. corrosion of iron in sea water takes
place in large extent than in distilled water because
sea water contains salts i.e.electrolytes.

3. Position of metals in electrochemical series

Highly reactive metals undergo corrosion faster than
least reactive metals. Reactivity of metals can be
found from the electrochemical series.
e.g.Au
Cu Pb Fe Zn
Al Mg Na
K
Reactivity increases
4. Presence of carbon dioxide in water
Presence of carbon dioxide in natural water also
increases the rusting of iron because it acts as an
electrolyte and increases the flow of electron from
one place to another.

5. Presence of protective coating

When the iron surface is coated with the
metal,
which is more reactive than the iron, then
the rate of
corrosion is retarded e.g. when iron is
coated with
zinc, iron is protected from rusting.

PREVENTION OF CORROSION
Corrosion is slow but continuously
eating away the metal and
consequence of rusting.
Rusting can be avoided by not
letting moist air come in contact
with the metal surface .Following
methods could gain fully be adopted
to minimize rusting and corrosion

Methods of preventing corrosion and rusting

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Tarring
Painting
Enameling
Galvanizing
Sheradising
Tin plating
electroplating

1. Tarring:
metal is dipped in hot coal tar so that a film
of it is sticks to the surface which protect
the surface from rusting and corrosion.
Pipes or ends of poles to be embedded in
the earth are usually given this protective
treatment.

2. Painting:
Paints usually the lead paints are
applied on the surface to be
protected. Exposed metal surfaces
as in case of roof and bridge
structure are given this treatment
which has to be repeated after
regular interval of time.

3.Enameling:
Enamels consist of high grade bases like
zinc oxide or lead oxide ground in oil or
varnish. they dry slowly leaving a hard
tough and elastic film which is smooth
and durable.Enamle painted surfaces are
washable and are not affected by
acids,alkali,gases or steam. Even tough
they are more costly than ordinary
paints yet because of their durability.
They are equally good for use both on
external and internal work.

4.Galvanizing:
Depositing a fine film of zinc on the iron/steel
surfaces is termed as galvanizing.
The surfaces to be galvanizing is first cleared
of all foreign matter by giving it an acid wash
to be followed by a wash of clean water. the
surface is then dried and dipped in molten
zinc.The fine film of zinc that get deposited
protect the surface from contact with
atmosphere and consequence oxidation.
Removal of the zinc film caused by scratches.

5.Sheradising:
Surface to be treated is cleaned of all
foreign deposits by washing it with acid
solution and then with clean water.
It is then dried and covered with zinc dust
and enclosed in steel boxes to be heated in
a furnace under controlled temperatures.
Molten zinc spreads over the whole surface
and on cooling forms a thin protective layer.
Sherading gives better protection than
galvanizing.

6.Tin plating:
After cleaning the surface with acid
wash followed by wash with clean
water and drying, it is dipped in a
bath of molten tin.
A protective covering of tin layer if
left on the surface.

6. Electroplating:
By the process of electrolysis a
thin film of
nickel,cromium,copper or zinc is
deposited on the surface to be
protected.
The surface to be protected is
made the cathode and the metal
to be deposited is made the
anode.