Case study

forms of corrosion

Chemical engineering Dept.

 What is the….

Cost of Corrosion?
The Cost of Corrosion

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 Cost of corrosion
estimated to exceed 1
trillion $ in the United
States in 2013.
Significance of Corrosion
on Infrastructure
Engineer finds corrosion in collapsed bridge at
North Carolina speedway (2000)
Corrosion & Catastrophic Failure.
A Concrete bridge failure
 Types of Corrosion
 Uniform Attack – General Corrosion
 Galvanic Corrosion
 Crevice Corrosion
 Pitting
 Intergranular Corrosion
 Selective Leaching
 Erosion Corrosion
 Stress Corrosion
Uniform Corrosion

Formerly a ship

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 Galvanic
 Dissimilar metals are
physically joined in the
presence of an electrolyte.
 The more anodic metal
corrodes.

Bilge pump -
Magnesium shell cast
around a steel core.
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Pitting
Pitting is a localized form of
corrosive attack.  Pitting corrosion
is typified by the formation of holes
or pits on the metal surface. 
Pitting can cause failure, yet the
total corrosion, as measured by 304
stainless
weight loss, may be minimal. steel / acid
chloride
solution

5th Century sword

Boiler tube
Pitting corrosion

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Crevice Corrosion

Narrow and confined spaces.

Big Cathode, Small Anode = Big Trouble
 Intergranular
Corrosion along
grain boundaries,
often where precipitate
particles form.
 Intergranular corrosion

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Selective Leaching
Preferred corrosion of
one element/constituent
[e.g., Zn from brass (Cu-
Zn)]. Dezincification.
Selective leaching

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Dezinfication

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Selective leaching

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Stress corrosion cracking

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 Stress Corrosion Cracking, SCC
 A structure that has SCC sensitivity, if
subjected to stresses and then exposed
to a corrosive environment, may initiate
cracks and crack growth well below the
yield strength of the metal.
 Consequently, no corrosion products
are visible, making it difficult to detect or
prevent; fine cracks can penetrate
deeply into the part.
Stress corrosion cracking

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Stress corrosion cracking

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Corrosion fatigue

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Corrosion fatigue

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 Corrosion fatigue

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Hydrogen Embrittlement

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Erosion-corrosion
Combined chemical attack and
mechanical wear (e.g., pipe
elbows).

Brass water pump

Erosion corrosion

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Fretting corrosion

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 Corrosion Prevention
Metal oxide
Metal (examples: Al,
stainless steel)

 Use metals that passivate, form a thin, adhering oxide layer that
slows corrosion.
Use metals that are relatively unreactive in the corrosion environment.

Use inhibitors (substances added to solution that decrease

reactivity); slow oxidation/reduction reactions by removing reactants like
O2 gas by reacting it w/an inhibitor).
Slow oxidation reaction by attaching species to the surface. Apply
physical barriers: films and coatings, paint
Reduce T (slows kinetics of oxidation and reduction)

Cathodic (or sacrificial) protection; attach a more anodic material to the

one to be protected.
Galvanized Steel
Zn2+
zinc zinc
2e- 2e-
steel
e.g., zinc-coated nail 37
 Passivation Process
 Stainless steel was “discovered” around 1900–1915. A result of
multiple scientific efforts in England, France and Germany on alloys
with compositions that would later be known as the 410, 420, 430,
442, 446 and 440C grades.
 Stainless steels must have a very low level of carbon; difficult to obtain
(low carbon) for many years, which explains the late arrival of good
ferritic grades in the 1980s.
 Chromium (Cr) is by far the most important alloying element in the
production of stainless steel. It forms the “passive” surface film
(chromium oxide) that makes stainless steel corrosion resistant and
increases scaling resistance, wear resistance and tensile strength.

A minimum of 10.5% chromium content (by weight)

is required for the protective, self-repairing surface
layer of chromium oxide to form reliably. The higher
the chromium content, the stronger the passive
layer.
If the stainless steel surface is machined or
accidentally damaged, the passive layer quickly re-
forms, in the presence of air or water.
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 Summary
• Metallic corrosion involves electrochemical reactions
-- electrons are given up by metals in an oxidation reaction
-- these electrons are consumed in a reduction reaction
• Metals and alloys are ranked according to their
corrosiveness in standard emf and galvanic series.
• Temperature and solution composition affect corrosion
rates. Increasing T, speeds up oxidation/reduction reactions.
• Forms of corrosion are classified according to mechanism
• Corrosion may be prevented or controlled by:
-- materials selection
-- reducing the temperature
-- applying physical barriers
-- adding inhibitors
-- cathodic protection
• using metals that form a protective oxide layer
• Painting/coating
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 "Rust's A Must"
Mighty ships upon the ocean
Suffer from severe corrosion,
Even those that stay at dockside
Are rapidly becoming oxide.
Alas, that piling in the sea
Is mostly Fe2O3.
And where the ocean meets the shore, The origin of this epic
You'll find there's Fe3O4. poem is a bit fuzzy. 
'Cause when the wind is salt and gusty, We have seen a
reference to the late
Things are getting awful rusty.
Mr. T. R. B Watson of
Corrosion Services
We can measure, we can test it, Co., Ltd. in Toronto
We can halt it or arrest it. and we believe that he
We can gather it and weigh it, is the author. 
We can coat it, we can spray it.
We examine and dissect it,
We cathodically protect it
We can pick it up and drop it.
But heaven knows we'll never stop it!
So here's to rust, no doubt about it,
Most of us would starve without it.

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