Corrosion-2
Corrosion-2
Date: 19-02-2025
Dr. G. Rajeshkhanna
Assistant Professor
Department of Chemistry
[email protected]
Factors affecting rate of corrosion:
i) Nature of metals
ii) Nature of the corroding environment.
Nature of metals:
1) Position in galvanic series:-The metal higher in series is more
active and suffers corrosion. The rate and extent of corrosion is directly
proportional to electrode potential difference between them.
2) Over voltage: - when a metal, which occupies a high position in
galvanic series (say Zinc), is placed in H2SO4, it undergoes corrosion
forming a film and hydrogen gas.
The initial rate of reaction is quite slow, because of high over voltage
(0.73 V) of the zinc metal, which reduces the effective electrode
potential to a small value. However, if few drops of copper sulphate
(CuSO4) are added, the corrosion rate of zinc is accelerated, because
some copper gets deposited on the zinc metal forming minute
cathodes.
Hence rate of corrosion of Zn in presence of cu becomes more.
Thus metals for which over voltages are more get corrode
slowly, where as those which have lower over voltages, the rate
of corrosion is high.
3. Use of inhibitors
2. Material selection
CORROSION CONTROL
1) Cathodic protection : The principle involved in this method
is to force the metal to be protected to behave like a cathode
thereby corrosion doesn’t occur. There are two types of cathodic
protection.
i) Sacrificial anodic protection method: - In this method
the metallic structure to be protected is connected by a wire to a
more anodic metal, so that all the corrosion is concentrated at
this more active metal implies the more active metal itself gets
corroded slowly. While the parent structure which is cathodic is
protected. The more active metal so employed is called
“sacrificial anodic” whenever the sacrificial anode is consumed
completely. It is replaced by a fresh one. Metal commonly
employed as sacrificial anodes are Mg, Zn, Al and their alloys.
Sacrificial anodes are used for the protection of buried pipe
lines underground cables, marine structures, ship hulls, water
tanks etc.
(ii) Impressed current–cathodic protection: - In this method an
impressed current is applied in opposite direction to nullify the
corrosion current and current the corroding metal from anode to
cathode. Usually the impressed current is derived from a direct current
source (like battery or rectifier on ac line) with an insoluble anode, like
graphite, high silica iron, scrap iron, stainless steel or platinum. Usually
a sufficient d.c is applied to an insoluble anode, buried in the soil ( or
immersed in the corroding medium) and connected to the metallic
structure to be protected.
(ii) When two dissimilar metals in direct contact are to be used then
• They should be as close as possible in the galvanic series.
• The anodic material should have a large area and the area of cathodic material
should be as small as possible.
• The screws, bolts, nuts and welds should be of less reactive metals so that
they can act as cathode with small area.
For example, copper rivets are used to fasten steel sheets and not vice versa
because copper is nobler than steel and hence acts as a cathode. Owing to the
small area of the cathode, the cathodic reaction is limited and corrosion of
anodic steel proceeds slowly.
(iii) Joints should be welded with same metal/alloy (Fig.). Riveting or bolting
with other metal results in crevice corrosion.
Use of Inhibitors
(i) Anodic inhibitors They get adsorbed on the anodic surface forming a
passive film on it (example chromates, phosphates, tungstates, etc.), thereby
decreasing the corrosion rate.
(ii) Cathodic inhibitors They slow down the reactions taking place at the
cathode (i.e. , H2 evolution in acidic medium).
For example, organic inhibitors like amines, mercaptans, substituted ureas and
thioureas, heavy metal soaps, etc, decrease the H2 evolution process by
decreasing the diffusion of H+ ions considerably.
Inhibitors like Mg, Zn or Ni salts react with the hydroxyl ions at the cathode
forming corresponding hydroxides that deposit at the cathode and decrease
the O2 absorption process.