CHAPTER 5 : CORROSION & NON-FERROUS

METAL
5.0 What is Corrosion?
Corrosion is defined as the destruction of a metal by
chemical or electrochemical reaction with its
surrounding (environment).
Corrosion can occur in a gaseous environment (dry
corrosion) or a wet environment (wet corrosion).
Importance of corrosion:
1. Economic direct or indirect losses
2. Improved safety failure of critical component
3. Conservation of resource wastage of metal or
energy.
Corrosion falls into 2 main categories:
1. General or uniform corrosion
2. Localised corrosion
5.1 General or Uniform Corrosion
The electrochemical reactions occur at the same rate
over the entire surface.
This type of attack is mostly found where a metal is
in contact with an acid, a humid atmosphere or in a
solution.
Example 1:
 Conclusion : Any reaction that can be divided
into two or more partial reactions of oxidation
and reduction is called electrochemical.
Prevention : Proper material selection,
change the environment, Cathodic protection.
5.2 Localised Corrosion
There are different types of localised corrosion:
1. Galvanic corrosion
2. Pitting corrosion
3. Crevice corrosion
4. Intergranular corrosion
5. Dealloying
6. Fretting corrosion
7. Cavitation corrosion
8. Erosion corrosion
9. Environmentally induced cracking
i. Hydrogen embrittlement
ii. Stress corrosion cracking (SCC)
iii. Corrosion fatigue
5.2.1 Galvanic Corrosion
Occur when 2 different metals are electrically
connected in the same electrolyte.
The less active (more noble) metal corrodes slower
and will be protected.

The galvanic series will predict which metal will

corrode.
The galvanic series is similar to the emf but is for
alloys in real environment.
 Experimental corrosion (zinc and cuprum) :
i. A zinc electrode connected to a cuprum electrode and
immerse in an electrolyte such as salt water, acid or alkaline
ii. The cuprum acts as cathodic and the zinc as anodic
iii. Zinc will be corrode caused by the electrochemical
corrosion
iv. Time to time the zinc will continue to corrode and became
embrittle, fragile and weakening.
 Factors affecting the severity galvanic corrosion
are :
1. Size of exposed areas of the anodic metal
relative to that of cathodic metal.
i. Smaller cathode relative to anode will cause
small increase in corrosion of anode.
ii. Smaller anode will suffer severe corrosion.
 5.2.2 Crevice Corrosion
Crevice corrosion occurs at shielded areas that contain
small volume of aqueous solution.
Crevice can be a hole, a space between the surface and
a poorly adherent coating.

Principle :
1. Liquid entry but stagnant
2. Corrosion rate of crevice is higher than that on bulk
(outside)
3. Crevice corrosion is initiated by changes in local chemistry
within the crevice;
i. Depletion of oxygen in the crevice
ii. Depletion of inhibitor in the crevice
 Oxygen concentration can develop when there is a
difference in oxygen concentration on a moist surface
of a metal that can be oxidized.
Example :
1. a drop of water/ moisture on the surface
2. the oxygen concentration are lesser on the surface
3. the surface that low in oxygen concentration are
cathodic
4. the surface that has higher oxygen concentration are
anodic
5. because there is anodic and cathodic, the surface
below the water drop are corroded (anodic)
6. the water drop act as electrolyte
Usually occurs at a bad gasket pipe flange, under
bolt head and connections that soaked in liquid.
5.2.3 Intergranular Corrosion
Is a localised attack along the grain boundaries,
or immediately adjacent to grain boundaries, while
the bulk of the grains remain largely unaffected.

It is occur when different potential between

atoms at the grain-boundaries and create the
boundaries of anode and cathode.
It is usually starts from the surface and
accelerates internally causing by bad internal
structure.
5.2.4 Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC)
It is refers to cracking caused by the combined effects of
tensile stress and specific corrosion environment acting on the
metal.
Usually occurs in alloys not in pure metals and in certain
environment, examples : copper cracked in ammonia or
aluminium alloy cracked in chloride solubility.
The stress in the materials must has its compressive
component and the presence of both stress and corrosion
environment which causing the cracks to form and spread.
The stress corrosion cracking usually occurs between crystals.
5.3 Corrosion Control
Cathodic protection is the protection of a metal by connecting it to a
sacrificial anode or by impressing a direct current voltage to make it a
cathode.
Anodic protection is the protection of a metal which forms a passive film
by the application of an externally impressed anodic current.
Example (steel hulls of ships adjacent to the bronze propellers) :
i. steel is an anode and bronze is a cathode and both are in sea-water which
act as electrolyte
ii. the steel (hulls) will be corroded because of its anodic, so a more anodic
material than steel and bronze is used as corrosion sacrificial which it is zinc
iii. zinc blocks are fitted to hulls so that the electrochemical corrosion
process will occur only to the zinc
iv. the zinc blocks must be replace time to time because its worn out of
corrosion as shown below
5.4 Material Selection

There are few combination between metal and

good corroded environment and economical are
shown below :
i. stainless steel nitrite acid
ii. nickel and alloy nickel caustic
iii. monel hydrofluoric acid
iv. hastelloi (chlorimet) hot hydrochloric acid
v. plumbum liquidify sulphuric acid
vi. aluminium unpolluted atmosphere exposion
vii. tin distillation water
viii. titanium hot oxidation liquid
ix. tantalum definite resistant
x. steel sulphuric acid
5.5 Coating
Plastic and oil are non metal material use mainly for
coatings.
Metallic coatings which differ from the metal to be
protected are applied as thin coatings to separate the
corrosive environment from the metal. Metal coatings are
sometimes applied so that they can serve as sacrificial anodes
which can corrode instead of the underlying metal.
Metallic coatings :
1. Noble coating
i. it is a coating where higher potential electrode
compared to the base metal will be protected.
ii. base metal coating such as cuprum, nickel and
chromium as the coating and entering the holes in
material.
iii. it cannot protect the base metal if there is holes in
the coating because the base metal will become anode
2. Sacrificial coating
i. the base metal protected by sacrifice it and
the coated acts as anode
ii. the organic and inorganic material are used to
protect the surface from contacting with
oxygen or giving the basic protection by
coated with stable material which cannot be
penetrated by humidity/ moisture
iii. organic coating such as paint, tar, oil and
varnish
iv. inorganic coating is enamel, plastic. Plastic is
the main inorganic materials used as coating
by hot dipping and spraying of corrosion
resistant material
5.6 Design
Designing rules :
1. considering corrosion penetration with the need of
mechanical strength when determining the thickness of a
metal used. It is important for piping and tank with liquid
contents
2. welding is better than riveting for contena to reduce
crevice corrosion.
3. use one type of material only for the whole structure to
prevent galvanic corrosion.
4. avoid extra stress and stress concentration in corroded
environment to prevent from crack-stress corrosion. Sharp
edges of component need to be avoided because it can
caused the stress
5. designing simple attachable system or changeable
component if predicted it is easier to break or fail in the
service
5.7 Painting
Paint the surface of metal to avoid corroded material
from contacting the surface.
Paint may be applied by brushing, spraying and
dipping.
It may be dried naturally or by stoving.

5.8 Electroplate Metal

Electroplating is the process of using electrical current
to reduce cations of a desired material from a solution
and coat a conductive object with a thin layer of the
material such as a metal using electrolysis.
Electroplating and metal finishing processes include
copper plating, nickel plating, zinc plating, silver
plating, tin plating, brass plating, cadmium and chrome
finishes.
 The process :
i. the metal/ components to be plated are immersed in a
solution called electrolyte
ii. electrolyte allows the passage of an electric current
iii. the parts that require coating, are then placed in the
solution and given a negative charge/ terminal (as
cathode)
iv. anodes are connected to the positive terminal
v. upon the passage of an electric current metal ions are
transferred from the electrolyte onto the surface of the
cathode
Electroplating allows for increased corrosion
resistance, scratch resistance, decorative finishes and
high temperature protection.
Examples : tin plating and tin alloys for food container
and food contact applications.
5.9 Oxide Layers
Oxide layers such as zinc oxide and aluminium.
It is higher in density and therefore preventing
the oxygen and water from corrode the metal.
The oxide layers also used as electroplating for
metal products.
Example : zinc oxide layers for steel roofs
manufacturing.

5.10 Alloys
A metal alloy is a combination of two or more
metals or a metal and a nonmetal.
Alloys are made to improved corrosion resistance.
Steels usually alloyed with chromium and
manganese to gain stainless steel.
5.11 Non-Ferrous Metal
Metals and alloys are commonly divided into these classes :
1. ferrous metals : that contain a large percentage of iron
2. non-ferrous metals : that does not contain iron or only a
relatively small amount of iron
3. a metal alloy : is a combination of two or more metals
or a metal and a nonmetal
Common non-ferrous metals used in engineering are :

a) Aluminium b) Silver (Argentum) c) Copper (Cuprum)

d) Plumbum/ Lead e) Tin (Stanum) f) Nickel
g) Zinc h) Chromium i) Gold (Aurum)
j) Molybdenum k) Magnesium l) Cobalt m) Manganese

Main properties of non-ferrous metals :

1. low strenght
2. good thermal and electric conductivity
3. free from magnetic field
4. high corrosion resistance
5. easier in manufacturing
 5.11.1 Types of Non-Ferrous Metals, Physical Properties,
Mechanic Properties and the Applications

Refer table given: