OBJECTIVE –

T h e   g o a l o f t h i s p r o j e c t i s   t o   investigate the effect of

metal  coupling on rusting of iron.We will have to study the change in
rusting of iron when an iron nail is when an iron nail is coupled with
metals more electronegative than iron and  metals which are
less electropositive than iron.

 
 
INTRODUCTION –
Metals and alloy undergoes rusting and  corrosion. The process by
which some meals when exposed to atmospheric conditions i.e,moist
air,carbon dioxide, on the surface is known as coorosion. The
compounds  formed are usually Oxides. Rusting is also a
t y p e   o f c o o r o s i o n b u t t h e   t e r m   i s   restricted to iron or products
made from it.Iron is easily prone to rusting making its surface
rough.Chemically, rust is a hydrated ferric oxide Fe2O3.nH2O.
Rusting may beexplained by an electrochemical  mechanism. In
the presence of moist air containing dissolved oxygen or carbon dioxide,
the commercial iron behaves as if composed of small electrical
cells.At anode of cell, iron passes in to solution as  ferrous ions.

Fe - Fe(2+) + 2 e

Theelectrons from the above reaction move towards the cathode

and form hydroxyl  ions 
H2O + (O) + 2e - 2OH(-)
Under the influence of dissolved oxygen the ferrous ions and hydroxyl
ions interact  from rust,i.e., hydrated ferric oxide.
2Fe2++H2O +(O)- 2Fe3+ + 2OH

2Fe3++ 6OH - Fe2O3.3H2O(rust) or 2Fe(OH)3

If supply of oxygen is limited the corrosion  product may be black
anhydrous magnetite,Fe 3O 4 
Methods of preventingcorrosion –
Some of the methods used to prevent corrosion are discussed here :
1.
Barrier Protection.
In this method, a barrier film is introduced between iron surface and
atmospheric air.The film is obtained by  painting ,varnishing etc.
2.
Galvanization.
The metallic iron isn covered by a layer of more active metal  such as
zinc.The active metal loses electrons in preference to iron 
Zn - Zn2++ 2e-
Thus, protecting iron from rusting and  corrosion.

Materials and Equipments –

Twopetridishes

Four test-tubes

Four iron nails

Beaker 

Sand paper 

Wire gauge

Gelatin

Copper, Zinc and Magnesiumstrips

Potassium ferricyanidesolution
Phenolphthalein
Experimental Procedure —

Clean the surface of iron nails with the help of sand paper. Wash
them with carbon tetrachloride and dry on filter paper.
 
Wind a clean zinc strip around  onenail,a  clean copper wire
around thesecond and clean magnesium striparound the third
nail.Put all  thesethree and the fourth nail in Petri dishes so that
they are not incontact with each other.
 
P r e p e r a t i o n o f   A g a r - A g a r    solution.
Heat about three gram ofagar  agar in 100 ml of
water  takenina beaker until   solution becomes clear.At about 1 ml
of 0.1 M  potassium ferri-cyanide solution,1ml of   phenol-phthalein
solutionand stir well the contents.
 
Fill the petridishes with hot agaragar solution in such a way
thatonly lower half of  thenails  arecovered with  the liquids

Observation --

1.
 Iron-Aluminium Does not rusts
2.
  I r o n - Z i n c   D o e s   n o t  
r u s t s
3.
 Iron-Magnessium  Does  not rusts
4.
  I r o n - C o o p e r   N a i l   r u s t s
Result and Inference
 Result and Inference
 
 
The experiment performed on coupling
hasshownt h a t r u s t s c a n   b e a v o i d e d b y   c o u p l i n g
o f i r o n withmore
electropositivemetal.  In  thise x p e r i m e n t z i n c w a s
m o r e e l e c t r o p o s i t i v e , s o i t is oxidised leaving iron nail
safe. In this
waye q u i p m e n t s o f   s e v r a l   c r o r e s   R S ( )
. c a n   b e saved from rusting