Engineering Chemistry

Unit II: Corrosion Science and

Environment

Engineering Chemistry-II 2
 Different types of corrosion

Corrosion can be mainly classified as follows

1. Differential metal corrosion or Galvanic corrosion

2. Differential aeration corrosion

3. Stress corrosion

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 Differential metal corrosion or galvanic
• corrosion
When two dissimilar metals are in contact in corrosive environment,
metal with lesser standard reduction potential will act as anode and will
undergo oxidation (corrosion).
• Metal with higher standard reduction potential will act as cathode and it
will provide surface for reduction of oxygen

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 Differential metal corrosion or galvanic
•
corrosion contd..
For galvanic corrosion to occur, three conditions must be present:
• Electrochemically dissimilar metals must be present
• Metals must be in electrical contact
• Metals must be exposed to an electrolyte

• Metal which is above in the galvanic series act as anode and other metal
which is below act as cathode
• More the reduction potential(electrode potential) difference, more will be the
rate of corrosion
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Differential metal corrosion or galvanic
corrosion contd..

• Iron (-0.44V) acts as anode to Sn (-0.14V), Cu (0.34V), Ni (-0.23V)

hence iron undergoes corrosion

•Iron (-0.44V) acts as cathode to Mg (-2.37V) and Zn (-0.76V) as result

Mg and Zn undergoes corrosion

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 2. Differential aeration corrosion
• Differential aeration corrosion is a type of
corrosion that occurs when oxygen
concentrations vary across a metal's surface.
• The varying concentration of oxygen creates
an anode and a cathode on the metal's
surface.
• Oxidation then occurs because an anode and a
cathode have been established on the surface.
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2. Differential aeration corrosion
• Anodic reaction: At bottom (Low concentration of air)
Fe  Fe2+ + 2e-
• Cathodic reaction: At top (Higher concentration of air)
O2 + 2H2O + 2e  4OH-

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 Types of Differential aeration corrosion

• Types of Differential aeration corrosion:

 Water-line corrosion
 Pitting corrosion

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 Types of Differential aeration corrosion
1. Water-Line corrosion:
• Corrosion is observed in steel water tanks, ships floating in seawater etc.
• Area just below the water line is less exposed to air and act as anode
• Area just above the water line is more exposed to air and act as cathode

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 Types of Differential aeration corrosion
Water-Line corrosion:
• A distinct brown line is formed just below the water level due to the
deposition of rust
• Waterline corrosion takes place when there is an uneven supply of
oxygen to areas of the same metal component.
• When a poorly oxygenated area is adjacent to an area with a good supply
of oxygen, an anodic/cathodic reaction occurs.

Example:
[Link] going Ships,
2. Water storage steel
tanks
3. Submerged dam pillar 11
 Types of Differential aeration corrosion
Water-Line corrosion:

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 Types of Differential aeration corrosion
2. Pitting Corrosion:
• Occurs when dust particles get deposited on the metal surface
• Portion covered by the particles will be less aerated compared to exposed
area and act as anode.
• This is one of the destructive forms of corrosion leading to the formation of
pits or holes.
• Portion which is exposed more to air/oxygen act as cathode
• Pitting corrosion is localized and intense

Engineering Chemistry-II 13
 Types of Differential aeration corrosion
2. Pitting Corrosion:
• The metal surface covered by the dust will be less aerated when
compared to exposed surface.
• Thus, the covered portion becomes anode. In the presence of electrolytes
and moisture, corrosion starts beneath the dust forming a pit.
• Corrosion rate increases as there exists small anodic area when compared
to cathodic area resulting the enlargement of pit

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 Types of Differential aeration corrosion
2. Pitting Corrosion:

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 Types of Differential aeration corrosion
2. Pitting Corrosion:

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 Types of Differential aeration corrosion
2. Pitting Corrosion:

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 3. Stress corrosion
• Stress corrosion is another form of corrosion
that is important to many fields including
civil structures.
• Stress-corrosion occurs when a material
exists in a relatively inert environment but
corrodes due to an applied stress.
• The stress may be externally applied or
residual.
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 3. Stress corrosion
• Stress corrosion cracking is the growth of crack
formation in a corrosive environment.
Ex: This type of stress corrosion occurs in mild steel
boilers due to the presence of alkaline impurities in
boiler water.
Na2CO3 + H2O  2NaOH + CO2

SEM Micrograph of Stress Corrosion

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 3. Stress corrosion

• This type of corrosion arises when metal is subjected to mechanical

operations like poor design, hammering, bending, riveting, etc,. In
a corrosive environment the stressed portion act as anode and
undergoes corrosion.
• The other unstressed part of the metal acts as cathode.
• As a result, corrosion cell formed with stressed part acting as
anode and unstressed part acting as cathode. Corrosion takes place
at the stressed regions.
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 3. Stress corrosion
• Example 1. Stress-corrosion cracking of sensitized stainless steel, where
the grain boundaries are depleted of chromium

Grain boundary in steel

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3. Stress corrosion: Caustic embrittlement of steel

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3. Stress corrosion: Caustic embrittlement of steel

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 Boiler corrosion

• Decay of boiler material with environment is

called boiler corrosion

• Boiler corrosion is the active destruction of

boiler metal by the pitting action of dissolved
oxygen in the boiler water

• Pitting site can develop deep penetration

through boiler metal to cause ultimate failure

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 Boiler corrosion

• Boilers are usually the heart of many

manufacturing processes

• Corroded boilers can result in significant

safety concerns and expensive downtime
to effect repairs or replacement

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 Boiler corrosion
• Failure of boiler tubes by corrosion attack
has been a familiar phenomenon in power
plants resulting in unscheduled plant shut
down
• Consequence to this there are heavy
losses in industrial production and
disruptions to civil amenities
• Failure of boiler tubes appears in the form
of bending, bulging, cracking, wearing or
rupture, causing leakage of the tubes
Engineering Chemistry-II 26
Thank
you

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