Introduction

When metal are exposed to air or kept in the open

for some time, their surface are slowly eaten up or
corroded.
This is because of formation of certain compounds
like oxides, carbonates, sulphite, etc. by the gas and
water vapors present in air depends upon the nature
of metal. This is known as corrosion. However,
metals, like gold, or platinum which are known as
noble metal are not affected. Thus, corrosion may be
define as:

The process of slow eating up of a metal by the

gases and water vapors present in air due to
the formation of certain compounds.

If the iron is the metal involved, then then chemical

process is known as rusting. Rust is hydrated ferric
oxides Fe2O3.xH2O and is brown in colour. It may
note that corrosion and rusting once started
continues till the whole of metal is consumed.
  Mechanism of Corrosion
(Rusting of Iron)
The mechanism of corrosion is explained with the
help of rusting of iron. It is based on the
electrochemical theory since it involve the
formation of small electrochemical cells on the
surface of iron.

In fact, water drops containing dissolve oxygen

and carbon dioxide presence the moisture stick on
uneven surface of iron and form electrolytic
solution in which oxidation and reduction
reaction take place. Iron atom acting as anode
release electron which take part in the reduction
reaction. Thus, small electrochemical cells are setup
on the surface of metal.

During the rusting, iron surface acts as natural

electrochemical cell known as corrosions.
Following reaction take place in anode and in
cathode.

AT ANODE: Fe(s) undergoes oxidation to release

electrons

Fe (s) Fe2+ (aq) + 2e-

AT CATHODE: The electron which are released
participate in the reduction reaction and combines
with H+ ions released from carbonic acid (H2CO3)
formed by the combination of CO2 and H2O present.

H2O + CO2 H2CO3

H2CO3 2H+ + CO32-
H 2O H+ + OH-
H+ + e- H
The hydrogen atom combine with oxygen either
dissolved in water or present in air to form H2O
molecules.
4H + O2 2H2O
Thus, the net result of redox reaction which is
carried in the small electrochemical cell are set up,
is to oxidise Fe to Fe2+ ion.
2Fe(S) + 4H+ (aq) + 2O2 (g) Fe2+ (aq) + H2O (l)
4Fe2+ + 4H2O +2O2 2Fe2O3 +8H+ (aq)

Fe2O3 + xH2O Fe2O3.xH2O (rust)

(Hydrate ferric (II) oxide)

Fe2O3.xH2O has brown color and this brown mass

known as Rust.
 Factors which promote
corrosion
Corrosion is promoted by the following factors:-
1. Position of metal in the electrochemical series
Reactivity of metal is depends upon its position
in the electrochemical series. Lower the position
of metal in electrochemical series, lesser is its
reduction potential (or more oxidation
potential), hence easier to oxidise or to get
corrode.

2. Presence of impurities
The impurities (with higher reduction potential)
help in setting up of tiny voltaic cells which
increase the speed of corrosion. For example pure
iron do not rust.

3. Presence of electrolyte
Presence of electrolyte in water increase the rate
of corrosion. For example, corrosion of iron in
sea water or saline water is more rapid than
ordinary water
4. Air and moisture
Air and moisture are quite helpful in corrosion.
The presence of gases like SO2, CO2, NO2 etc., in
air make it still more rapid.

5. Uneven metal surface

If the surface of the metal is uneven. It will have
certain depression. Water drops from moisture
present in air or from rain water will get
accumulated here and will form
electrochemical cells which promote corrosion.
 Prevention of corrosion
Corrosion or rusting cab be prevented if these
electrochemical cells are not allowed to function
on the metal surface since these are responsible for
the redox reaction leading to corrosion .this can
be achieved in a number of ways.

I. Barrier protection
The purpose of barriers protection is to create
barriers between the metals surface and the
moisture and water drops containing
dissolved impurities so that they do not come
in contact with each other. This can be
achieved as follows;-
i. By keeping the surface of the metal
smooth.
ii. By painting the surface of the metals.
iii. By coating the metal with thin film of oil
or grease.
iv. By coating iron with some non-corroding
metal such as copper, chromium,
aluminium etc.
 II. Sacrificial protection
In this method, the surface of metal is to be
protected is coated with a more reactive metal
i.e. metal which occupies a position lower in
the electrochemical series than the metal to be
protected. Being more reactive metal, it will
take part in redox reaction and save the other
metal. In other words, it will sacrifice itself for
the sake of metal to be protected. For example,
iron is generally coated with the zinc and this
process is called galvanization. Zinc is more
reactive than iron as it evident from the E0
value.

Zn2+ (aq) + 2e -
Zn(s); E0= -0.76V

Fe2+ (aq) + 2e- Fe(s); E0= -0.44V

In case iron has been galvanized, then zinc will be

corroded insist of iron because of it is more reactive
than iron. It will change to basic zinc carbonates
ZnCO3.Zn (OH)2, a compound which is formed in the
same way as hydrated ferric oxides. Sometime
scratches appears on the surface of iron galvanised
with zinc. Even then, zinc will corroded in
preference to iron because there will be competition
between both these metal top take part in oxidation
half reaction or in competition oxidation reaction.
Atoms of zinc will be oxidized in preference to the
iron atom.

Sometime surface of iron is coated with tin metal

and this process is known as tinning or tin plating.
It may be note that tin is not as effective as zinc
since it lies below the iron in electrochemical series
as it is evident from its E0 v value.

Sn2+ (aq) + 2e_ Sn(s); E0 = -0.14V

Thus, tin will be effective in checking the rusting of

iron as long as the surface of iron is not exposed to
the atmosphere. However if scratches are formed on
the surface, then iron will participate in the redox
reaction being more reactive then tin and rusting
of iron will restarts. This clears that galvanization
should be preferred to tinning to check the rusting
of iron.

III. Electrical protection (cathodic

protection )

This is also a case of sacrificial protection. This

method is used for the protection of submerged
structure, ships, and undergrounds pipes. In this
method, the exposed surface of iron is protected by
connecting it to some more active metal such as
magnesium, zinc or aluminium. The more active
metal acts as anode and loses electron in preference
to iron. Thus, in this case underground iron pipe is
connected to a block of magnesium, then the latter
will be corroded due to its lesser reducing potential
than iron. Therefore, it will protect iron against
rusting.

Mg2+ (aq) + 2e- Mg(s); E0 =-2.27V

Fe2+ (aq) + 2e- Fe(s) ; E0= -0.44V

IV. Use of Anti-rust solution

The alkaline solution of some phosphate and

chromate salts acts as anti-rust solution. For
example, when iron articles are dipped into boiling
and strong alkaline solution of sodium phosphate,
a protection insoluble film of iron phosphate is
formed on them. This film protects the articles from
rusting. The alkaline nature of solution prevent the
availability of H+ ions which facilitate the oxidation
of Fe to Fe + ions.
 V. Bluing

Bluing is a technique that can be provide limit

resistance to rusting for small steel items, such as
firearms; for it to be successful, a water displacing
oil is rubbed onto the blued steel and other steel.

VI. Inhibitors

Corrosion inhibitors, such as gas phase or volatile

inhibitors, can be used to prevent corrosion inside
sealed system. They are not effective when air
circulation disperses them, and bring in fresh oxygen
and moisture.

VII. Humidity control

Rust can be avoided by controlling the moisture in the

atmosphere. An example of this is the use of silica gel
packets to controls humidity in equipment shipped by
the ships.
  Objective of project

In this project the aim is to investigate effect of

metal coupling on the rusting of iron. Metal
coupling affect the rusting of iron.

If the iron nail is coupled with more

electropositive metal like zinc, magnesium,
and aluminium rusting is prevented but if on
the other hand, it coupled with less
electropositive metal like copper the rusting is
facilitated.
  Experiment 1
 Aims
To study the effect of metal coupling on rusting of
iron.

 Requirements
 Two petridishes
 Four tube tubes
 Four iron nails
 Beaker
 Sand paper
 Wire gauge
 Gelation, Copper, zinc, and magnesium strips
 Potassium solution
 Phenolphthalein

 Procedure
i. Clean the surface of iron nails with the help of
sand paper. Wash them with carbon
tetrachloride and dry on filter paper.

ii. Wind a clean zinc strip around one nail, a

clean copper wire around the second and clean
magnesium strip around the third nail. Put all
these third and a fourth nail in petridishes so
that they are not in contact with each other.
iii. Preparation of agar agar solution. Heat about
3gm of agar agar in 100ml of water taken in a
beaker until solution becomes clear. Add about
1ml of 0.1M potassium ferri-cyanide solution,
1ml of phenol-phthalein solution and stir well
the contents.

iv. Fill the petridishes with hot agar agar solution

in such a way that only lower half of the nails
are covered with the liquids.

v. Keep the covered petridishes undisturbed for one

day or so.

vi. The liquid sets to a gel on cooling. Two types of

patches are observed around the rusted nail,
one is blue and the other is pink. Blue patch is
due to the reaction between ferrous ions and
potassium ferricyanide, to form potassium
Ferro-ferricyanide, KFe[Fe(CN)6] whereas pink
patch is due to the formation of hydroxyl ions
which turns colorless phenolphthalein to pink
colour..
  Observation

S.No. Metal pair Colour of Nail rusts

the patch or not
1. Iron-zinc Pink Not rust
2. Iron- Pink Not rust
magnesium
3. Iron-copper Blue Rust
4. Iron -nail Blue Rust

 Conclusion

It is clear from the observations that coupling of

iron with more electropositive metal such as zinc
and magnesium resists corrosion and rusting of
iron. Coupling of iron with less electropositive metal
such as copper increases rusting.
  Experiment 2

Aims
To study the effect of metal coupling on rate of
corrosion.

Material required
 Apparatus
o Beakers-15
o Iron sheet of 2
o Aluminium rod of 2
o Brass rod of 2
o Zinc sheet of 2
o Measuring cylinder
o Chemical balance
o weight box

 Chemicals
o Hydrochloric aid
o Sodium hydroxide

Theory
 Corrosion is a serious problem of some
metals like iron, zinc, aluminium and
alloys like brass which are commonly used
in day to day life.
  Apart from reducing the life of articles
made up of these metals or alloys the
chemical substances formed out of corrosion
have serious public health problems.
 Replacement of machines or their parts and
many other articles in industrial and
public dealing lead to huge expenditure.
 Hence, how to reduce or avoid corrosion of
articles made up of metals or alloys has been
a major subject of study in the field of
chemistry and electro-chemistry.

Procedure
i) Mix 9 ml. of conc. HCl with 241ml. water to
form 250ml of solution.
ii) Take this solution in seven different beakers.
iii) Mark each beaker serially from 1 to 7.
iv) Take the weight of three irons sheet, 3
aluminium rods, 3 brass and 3 zinc sheet.
v)Now keep iron sheet, aluminium sheet brass
and zinc sheet in separate breakers.
vi) Then take iron + brass, iron + aluminium,
iron + zinc, aluminium + zinc, brass + zinc
and keep in different beakers.
vii) Allows the reaction to occur for 24hrs.
viii) Note maximum mad minimum
temperature.
ix) Now at the end of the reaction take out the
metal and keep them in sun for some time so
that they get dried up quickly.
x) Take the weight of each specimen and note
the difference.
xi) Similarly repeat 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 6, 7and 8 step
in a basic solution.

Observation

S.N Specimen Initial Final

O (with acid) weight(i weight(i
n gram) n gram)
1. Brass 8 5
2. Iron 8 6

3. Zinc 8 6.50

4. Aluminium 8 7.10
5. Iron + 15 12.30
aluminium
6. Brass + zinc 15 13
7. Iron + zinc 15 14.10
 Specimen
with base
8. Brass 8 5.80
9. Zinc 8 6.20
10. Iron 8 7.10
11. Aluminium 8 7.60
12. Brass + 15 12.90
aluminium
13. Brass + zinc 15 13.40
14. Iron + 15 14.40
aluminium

 Result

1) The rate of corrosion observed in acidic medium

or the mass consumed during the corrosion is in
the decreasing order from brass to aluminum.
Brass has the highest corrosion rate while
aluminium has the least corrosion rate.
Brass > Iron > Zinc > Aluminium

2) When coupling of these metals was done each

couple showed some difference in their corrosion
with respect to each metal kept alone. Iron +
 Aluminium couple has the highest rate of
corrosion while iron +Zinc couple has the lowest
rate of corrosion. Rate of corrosion of each couple
is in the order of
Iron + Aluminium > Brass + Zinc> Iron + Zinc.

3) Rate of corrosion in basic medium is in the

decreasing order from Brass to Aluminium. The
order of rate of corrosion is as below:
Brass > Zinc >Iron > Aluminium.

4) When these metals were coupled the rate of

corrosion was in the decreasing order from
Brass + Aluminium > Brass + Zinc > Iron +
Aluminium.

5) Temperature and time of reaction were

constant i.e., temperature was 21° C and time of
reaction was 24 hours.
 Conclusion

 Corrosion is a serious problem of some metals

like iron, zinc, aluminium and alloys.

 Apart from reducing the life of articles made up

of these metals or alloys the chemical substances
formed out of corrosion have serious public
health problems.

 Replacement of machines or their parts and

many other articles in industrial and public
dealing lead to huge expenditure.

 Hence, how to reduce or avoid corrosion of

articles made up of metals or alloys has been a
major subject of study in the field of chemistry
and electro-chemistry.

 The study of the rate of corrosion of different

metals or alloys showed gradual decrease in
their masses in acidic medium. The decrease is
in the order of brass, iron, zinc, aluminium.