TD CHAP 7 : CORROSION ET DEGRADATION DES MATERIAUX

Exercise 1
A gray cast iron pipe is used in the natural gas distribution system for a city. The pipe fails and
leaks, even though no corrosion noticeable to the naked eye has occurred. Offer an explanation for
why the pipe failed.
Solution: Because no corrosion is noticeable, the corrosion byproduct apparently is still in place
on the pipe, hiding the corroded area. The circumstances suggest graphitic corrosion, an example
of a selective chemical attack. The graphite flakes in the gray iron are not attacked by the corrosive
soil, while the iron matrix is removed or converted to an iron oxide or hydroxide trapped between
the graphite flakes. Although the pipe appears to be sound, the attacked area is weak, porous, and
spongy. The natural gas can leak through the area of graphitic corrosion and eventually cause gas
accumulations leading to an explosion.
Un tuyau en fonte grise est utilisé dans le système de distribution de gaz naturel d'une ville. Le
tuyau tombe en panne et lâche, même si aucune corrosion perceptible à l'œil nu ne s'est produite.
Expliquez pourquoi le tuyau a échoué.
Solution: Comme aucune corrosion n'est perceptible, le sous-produit de corrosion est
apparemment toujours en place sur le tuyau, cachant la zone corrodée. Les circonstances suggèrent
une corrosion graphitique, un exemple d'attaque chimique sélective. Les paillettes de graphite dans
la fonte grise ne sont pas attaquées par le sol corrosif, tandis que la matrice de fer est éliminée ou
transformée en oxyde ou hydroxyde de fer emprisonné entre les paillettes de graphite. Bien que le
tuyau semble sain, la zone attaquée est faible, poreuse et spongieuse. Le gaz naturel peut fuir à
travers la zone de corrosion graphitique et éventuellement provoquer des accumulations de gaz
conduisant à une explosion.
Exercise 2
A brass plumbing fitting produced from a Cu-30% Zn alloy operates in the hot water system of a
large office building. After some period of use, cracking and leaking occur. On visual examination
no metal appears to have been corroded. Offer an explanation for why the fitting failed.
Solution: The high zinc brasses are susceptible to dezincification, particularly when the
temperature is increased, as in the hot water supply of the building. One of the characteristics of
dezincification is that copper is redeposited in the regions that are attacked, obscuring the damage.
However the redeposited copper is spongy,
Un raccord de plomberie en laiton fabriqué à partir d'un alliage Cu-30% Zn fonctionne dans le
système d'eau chaude d'un grand immeuble de bureaux. Après une certaine période d'utilisation,
des fissures et des fuites se produisent. À l'examen visuel, aucun métal ne semble avoir été corrodé.
Expliquez pourquoi l'ajustement a échoué.

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Solution: Les laitons à haute teneur en zinc sont sensibles à la dézincification, en particulier
lorsque la température est augmentée, comme dans l'alimentation en eau chaude du bâtiment. L'une
des caractéristiques de la dézincification est que le cuivre est redéposé dans les régions attaquées,
occultant les dommages. Cependant le cuivre redéposé est spongieux.

Exercise 3
Suppose 10 g of Sn2+ are dissolved in 1000 ml of water to produce an electrolyte. Calculate the
electrode potential of the tin half-cell. 𝑀𝑆𝑛 = 118.69 𝑔/𝑚𝑜𝑙

Exercise 4
A half-cell produced by dissolving copper in water produces an electrode potential of +0.32 V.
Calculate the amount of copper that must have been added to 1000 ml of water to produce this
potential.
Exercise 5
An electrode potential in a platinum half-cell is 1.10 V. Determine the concentration of Pt4+ ions
in the electrolyte.
Exercise 6
One-half of an electrochemical cell consists of a pure nickel electrode in a solution of Ni 2+ ions;
the other half is a cadmium electrode immersed in a Cd2+ solution.
1.1. If the cell is a standard one, write the spontaneous overall reaction and calculate the voltage
that is generated.
1.2. Compute the cell potential at if the Cd2+ and Ni2+ concentrations are 0.5 and 10−3 𝑀,
respectively. Is the spontaneous reaction direction still the same as for the standard cell?
Exercise 7
A current density of 0.05 𝐴/𝑐𝑚2 is applied to a 150 𝑐𝑚2cathode. What period of time is required
to plate out a 1 𝑚𝑚-thick coating of silver onto the cathode? Silver density is 10.49 𝑔/𝑐𝑚3 ,
atomic weight is 107.868 𝑔/𝑚𝑜𝑙
Exercise 8
A 1-m-square steel plate is coated on both sides with a 0.005-cm-thick layer of zinc. A current
density of 0.02 A/cm2 is applied to the plate in an aqueous solution. Assuming that the zinc
corrodes uniformly, determine the length of time required before the steel is exposed. Zinc density
is 7.133 𝑔/𝑐𝑚3 atomic weight is 65.38 𝑔 𝑔/𝑚𝑜𝑙

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TABLEAU 7.2 ÉCHELLE DES POTENTIELS STANDARD 𝐸𝑆𝐻
D’OXYDO-RÉDUCTION DE QUELQUES MÉTAUX

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