Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Corrosion and Its Control
Corrosion and Its Control
Oxidation corrosion:
It occurs by the direct attack of oxygen at low or
high temperatures on metals.
It is caused in absence of the moisture.
At low temperature alkali and alkaline earth metals
are rapidly oxidized and at high temperature almost
all metals (except Au, Ag, and Pt) are oxidized.
2M 2 M2+ + 2e- (Oxidation)
O2 2 O2- (Reduction)
M + O2 Metal oxide
Mechanism:
Oxidation occurs first at the surface of the metal and the resulting
metal oxide forms a barrier.
Either metal ion diffuse out side or oxide must diffuse inwards
through the scale.
Diffusion of metal ion out side is much faster than the oxygen
diffusion
Nature of oxide formed: This oxide plays an important role in
oxidation corrosion.
1.Stable:
A stable layer is fine grained and gets adhered to the parent metal
surface.
So, it acts as protective layer
Further corrosion is prevented for these metals.
Ex.: oxides of Al, Sn, Pb, Cu, etc.
ii) unstable:
If the oxide formed is unstable, decomposes back
into the metal and oxygen.
So, corrosion is not possible.
Ex.: oxide of Pt
iii) Volatile:
If the oxide formed is volatile in nature it
volatizes as soon as it is formed.
So, corrosion rate increases rapidly.
Ex.: oxide of Mo
iv) Porous: i.e., having pores or cracks. This
causes continuous corrosion.
Ex.: oxide of K, Na, etc.
This is explained based on the Pilling-Bed
worth Rule
According to this rule “an anode is protective
or non-porous, if the volume of the oxide is
greater than the volume of metal.”
It is explained based on the ratio of the metal
oxide volume to the metal volume.
Porous layers usually contain PBR less than
1 and non-porous layer greater than 1.
Corrosion by other Gases:
The gases like SO2, CO2, Cl2, H2S etc. may also cause
corrosion.
The extent of the corrosion depends on the chemical
affinity between metal and the gas.
The degree of attack depends on the formation of
protective or non-protective films on the metal surface.
Hydrogen corrosion:
A different type of dry corrosion attack by hydrogen gas
on metals is known as hydrogen embrittlement. it is due
to the formation of atomic hydrogen as a result of
chemical or electrochemical reaction at metal surface.
Fe + H2S FeS + 2H
H + H H2
Liquid metal corrosion:
It is due to chemical action of flowing liquid
metal at high temperature on solid metal or
alloy.
It involves either dissolution of a solid
metal by a liquid metal; or internal
penetration of liquid metal into the solid
metal
2) WET OR ELECTROCHEMICAL CORROSION:
This type of corrosion occurs
Where a conducting liquid is in contact with
metal or
When two dissimilar metals or alloys are
immersed partially in a solution.
Two metals act as electrodes and current flows
through the conducting solution.
At anode oxidation reaction takes place, so
anodic metal is destroyed.
Hence, corrosion always occurs at anode.
But the cathode is not affected.
The principle types of electrochemical corrosions
are
1) Hydrogen evolution corrosion
+ +2
Fe + 2H Fe + H2
Absorption of Oxygen:
Common example is rusting of iron in neutral
medium (NaCl)
The surface of iron always coated with iron
oxide. If some cracks are developed on this
metal oxide, anodic areas are created; while
the well metal parts act as cathodes.
In this type of corrosion anodes are small
areas; where as cathodes are large areas.
At anode:
Fe Fe+2 + 2e- (oxidation)
At cathode:
The liberated electrons are absorbed by dissolved oxygen.
Degree of aeration
Electrical conductivity
Soil moisture
Soil texture
According to particle size soils are classified as
1) Gravelly or Sandy Soil:
It is very porous and aerated. If a metal is buried in such
soil corrosion occurs similar to wet corrosion
2) Water-logged Soil:
Amount of oxygen available is very small, but bacteria
may present and cause microbiological corrosion
3) Intermediate character corrosion:
Fine gravel, sand and salt containing soil may
produce intense corrosion. If air pockets are present,
differential aeration corrosion may occur.
Factors influencing the corrosion:
The rate and extent corrosion of corrosion
depends on
Nature of metal
Anode Cathode
Article to be Protected
Organic surface coatings:
These are inert organic barriers applied on
metallic surfaces and other constructional
materials for both corrosion protection and
decoration.
The protective value of such a coating depends on
1) Its chemical inertness to the corrosive
environment,
2) Its good surface adhesion,
3) Its impermeability to water, salts and gases as
well as ,
4) Its proper application method.
Paints :
Paint is a mechanical dispersion mixture of
1 or more pigments in a “vehicle”
“vehicle” is a liquid, consisting of non
volatile, film forming material, drying oil
and highly volatile solvent, thinner.
when a paint is applied to a metal surface
the thinner evaporates, while the drying oil
slowly oxidizes forming a dry pigmented
film.
Constituents of paints :
Pigments,
Drying oil,
Thinner driers,
Extenders/filters,
Plasticizers,
Suspend pigments
(6) Plasticisers:
To provide elasticity to film
To minimize its cracking