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Lecture PDF
Lecture PDF
Lecture PDF
Lecture 10
A weighed sample coupon of metal introduced into the corrosion process and
after desired exposure period removed, cleaned of all corrosion products and
reweighed. Weight loss can be converted to average corrosion rate (mpy) using
Faradays law. There are ASTM standards G1, G4 and G31 for preparing,
cleaning and evaluating corrosion test specimens, conducting corrosion coupon
tests in plant equipment and laboratory immersion corrosion testing.
Using corrosion coupons for weight loss (corrosion rate) measurements has
advantages such as cheap and simple, permits analysis of corrosion products and
can easily be done in a laboratory or on a service equipment. However, it
requires long term exposures to be more accurate as short-term tests can yield
misleading information. Different shapes of corrosion coupons, such as flat, ring
type or cylindrical can be used. Coupons can be placed in industrial equipment
using holders (electrically isolated) .
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Course Title: Advances in Corrosion Engineering
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore
Lecture 10: Polarization Techniques Corrosion Rate Determination NPTEL Web Course
Typical cathodic polarization curves with respect to Tafel behaviour are also
given. Extrapolation of cathodic and anodic Tafel slopes back to the corrosion
potential (Ecorr) are shown. Intersection point corresponds to corrosion current
density (icorr) or corrosion rate (Fig. 10.1).
There are some demerits in Tafel extrapolation. Since polarization curves are not
reversible and are influenced by experimental and environmental conditions,
Tafel constants can vary from system to system. Often anodic curves may not
exhibit linear behavior near Ecorr.
To determine values of Ecorr and icorr, extrapolated linear sections from the
anodic and cathodic curves are used as shown in Fig. 10.1.
Ecorr and icorr values can be directly determined from the cross-over point (Fig.
10.2).
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Course Title: Advances in Corrosion Engineering
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore
Lecture 10: Polarization Techniques Corrosion Rate Determination NPTEL Web Course
Tafel constants ( a and c ) are calculated from the anodic and cathodic slopes
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Course Title: Advances in Corrosion Engineering
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore
Lecture 10: Polarization Techniques Corrosion Rate Determination NPTEL Web Course
4
Course Title: Advances in Corrosion Engineering
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore
Lecture 10: Polarization Techniques Corrosion Rate Determination NPTEL Web Course
Current against overpotential for a reversible reaction such as the ferric ferrous
couple on a noble electrode surface is shown in Fig. 10.4.
Anodic and cathodic curves along with the resultant current behavior for
reversible reaction is illustrated.
Fe+++ + e = Fe++
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Course Title: Advances in Corrosion Engineering
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore
Lecture 10: Polarization Techniques Corrosion Rate Determination NPTEL Web Course
Fig 10.5 Polarization behaviour of metal M in unstirred aerated near neutral solution
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Course Title: Advances in Corrosion Engineering
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore
Lecture 10: Polarization Techniques Corrosion Rate Determination NPTEL Web Course
The slope of the potential current density plot near Ecorr is defined as
POLARIZATION RESISTANCE (Rp).
Rp = E / i (E O)
-icorr = B / Rp
When B = a c / 2.3(a + c)
The extent of linearity of the potential current plot depends on a and c values.
Since B varies within a factor of 2 around a value of 0.065 V for long range Tafel
constants, corrosion rate (icorr) can be estimated within a factor of 2 (even of Tafel
constants are not available).
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Course Title: Advances in Corrosion Engineering
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore
Lecture 10: Polarization Techniques Corrosion Rate Determination NPTEL Web Course
8
Course Title: Advances in Corrosion Engineering
Course Co-ordinator: Prof. K. A. Natarajan, IISc Bangalore