CHEMISTRY PROJECT REPORT

ON

SUBMITTED TO:

SUBMITTED BY:
LOKESH KUMAR
Class: XII F
Roll no:

DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL,

FARIDABAD

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the original and genuine investigation work
has been carried out to investigate about the subject matter and
the related data collection and investigation has been completed
solely, sincerely and satisfactorily by LOKESH KUMAR of class
XII F, DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, FARIDABAD regarding her
project titled COORROSION IN METALS.

Teachers Signature

INDEX
S.NO
1
2
3
4

TOPIC
Acknowledgement
Introduction
Mechanism of Corrosion of Metals
Experimental Analysis of Metals

Page No.
4
5
7
8

Corrosion

5
6

Experiment 1
Experiment 2
Prevention of Corrosion
Corrosion product of Metals

15
19

Copper Corrosion
Iron Corrosion
Silver Corrosion
Bibliography

22

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
There are times when silence speaks so much more loudly than
words of praise to only as good as be little a person whose
words do not express but only put a veneer over true feelings
which are of gratitude at this point of time

I wish to express my sincere and deepest gratitude to my

Principal MR. ANIL KUMAR and respected teacher

whose

guidance and valuable suggestions have been indispensable in

bringing out this project successfully. It is through their
practical knowledge, suggestions and help offered from time to
time that brought great confidence in picking up this work and in
accomplishment of the project.

I am really indebted to my teachers for their immense guidance

and encouragement towards completion of this project.

INTRODUCTION

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of materials,

usually metals, by chemical reaction with its environment. In the most common
use of the word, this means electro chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with
an oxidant such as oxygen.

Rusting, the formation of iron oxides is a

well known example of electrochemical corrosion. This type of damage typically
produces oxide(s) or salt(s) of the original metal. Corrosion can also occur in
materials other than metals, such as ceramics and polymers, although in this
context, the term degradation is more common. Corrosion degrades the useful
properties of materials and structures including strength, appearance and
permeability to liquids and gases.

Many structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture

in air, but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to
certain substances.

Corrosion can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack, or

it can extend across a wide area more or less uniformly
corroding the surface. Because corrosion is a diffusion controlled
process, it occurs on exposed surface.

MECHANISM OF CORROSION
OF METALS
Electrochemical reaction is the fundamental reaction during the
corrosion process, which the electrons can flow from certain
areas on the metal surface to other areas through a solution
which can conduct electric currents.

Saltwater environments are exposed to atmospheric oxygen, following

reactions involving the hydrogen ions on the surface of cathode being
reduced to hydrogen and oxygen lead to the formation of water.

4H+ + O2 + 4e- = 2H2O

Oxygen can wash away the hydrogen ion on the metal surface, allowing for
further corrosion of metal. Therefore, the presence of oxygen plays an
important role in the corrosion of metals. Other agents, such as certain
bacterial in the soil which remove hydrogen, can also act as depolarizing
agents and thus promote the corrosion reaction.
7

EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF
METAL CORROSION
EXPERIMENT 1

AIM: To

study the effect of metal coupling on rusting

of iron.

APPARATUS:

Test tubes
Four five iron nails
Beaker
Water
Glass rod
Tripod stand
Burner
Copper
Magnesium
Sand Paper
Zinc wire
Gelatine
Potassium
Ferro cyanide
Phenolphthalein

THEORY:
8

Metal coupling affects the rusting of iron. If the iron nail is coupled with a
more electro-positive metal like inc, magnesium or aluminium rusting is
prevented but if on the other hand, it is coupled with less electro-positive
metal like copper, the rusting is facilitated. The metal present as impurity
with iron effect the occurrence of corrosion.
A cell is set up between two metals. At the node, iron
atoms oxidize into Fe2+ and the 2e- that are produced are used by the
cathode for reduction. When iron is placed in suitable atmosphere for
corrosion and copper is present as an impurity then the corrosion takes
place according to the following mechanism:

Iron will turn out into ions by losing electrons

Fe Fe2+ +2eCopper which is less electropositive will conduct away the electrons and
behave as cathode where by hydroxyl ions will form

2H2 + 2e- H2
Hydroxyl ions formed will combine with iron and form ferrous hydroxide.
9

Fe

2+

+ OH- Fe(OH)2

Ferrous oxide can further get oxidised to some other product depending on
the constituents present in the atmosphere. The ferrous ions may get
further oxidised by atmospheric oxygen to ferric ions which come out as
rust in the form of hydrated ferric oxides(Fe 2O3.2H20) and with further
production of hydrogen ions. Thus copper increases the rate of corrosion.

PROCEDURE:
1. Clean four nails with the help of sand paper.
2. Then cover three nails with metal strip of copper, zinc and
magnesium.
3. Put all the four nails in four different test tubes.
4. Heat 100ml of water and put 5 gms gelatine in it.
5. Put equal quantity of prepared solution in the test tubes containing
nails.
6. Cool the test tubes under the bath and then place the test tubes
undisturbed for two hours.

OBSERVATION AND INTERFERENCE

METAL COUPLE

OBSERVATION

INTERFERNECE
10

IRON

Some blue colour was

Pure iron accelerates

observed at the bottom of

the rate of corrosion

the test tube

A brown solid on the nail

of iron
Presence of Zinc

and some blue spots in the

retards the rate of

IRON-

solution was observed

Colourless solution changes

corrosion of iron
Presence of

MAGNESIUM

its colour to pink inside

Magnesium retards

IRON-ZINC

the rate of corrosion

IRON-COPPER

Some blue spots were

of iron
Presence of Copper

spotted in the solution of

increases the rate of

reaction

corrosion of iron

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Zinc helps in retarding the rate of corrosion as it is more

electropositive than iron.

Similarly, Magnesium being more electropositive than iron, helps in

retarding the rate of corrosion.

Copper increases the rate of corrosion as it is less electropositive

than iron.
Therefore, Coupling of iron with more electropositive metals such as
zinc and magnesium resist corrosion and rusting of iron. Coupling of

iron with less electropositive metals such as copper, increases rusting.

The order of metal which helps in increasing the rates of corrosion of
iron may be written as
Cu > Fe > Zn > Mg

EXPERIMENT-2
11

AIM: To study the effect of presence of air, water, acid and alkali on
rusting of iron.
APPARATUS:

Five nails
Cotton
Corks
Cotton wood
Dil HCL or H2SO4
Dil NaOH
Anhydrous CaCl2
Vaseline
Distilled water

THEORY:
The metals present as an impurity with iron affects the presence of
corrosion.

Cell is setup between the two metals: one becomes cathode get
deteriorated. When iron is placed in a suitable atmosphere for corrosion
and copper is present as an impurity then corrosion takes place.

PROCEDURE:
12

1. Take the iron nails in a conical flask and add CCI4. Shake well and pour
of CCI4. Dry the nails in an over clean.
2. Dry the boiling tubes and label them 1 to 5.
3. Put some anhydrous CaCI2 in boiling tube No. 1 and insert a cotton wool
plug. Put some dry iron nails in the tube and cork it. Keep it a side for two
to three days.
4. In the boiling tube no 2 take some iron nails and add 10 ml of boiled
distilled water free from dissolved oxygen. Add 4-5ml of molten Vaseline.
It floats on the surface of water which is now no longer in contact with
air. Cork the boiling tube and keep is aside for two to three days.
5. Then take some iron nails in boiling tube no. 3 and and 10 ml of dilute
NaOH sol. Prepared in air free distilled water. Pour 4-5 ml of molten
Vaseline which floats over water and cuts off air. Cork the tube and keep
it aside for two to three days.
6. Take some iron nails in boiling tube No 4 and add about 10 ml of dilute
HCI. Cork the boiling tube and keep it aside for two to three days.
7. Take some iron nails in boiling tube No. 5 and add 2-3 ml of tap water.
It covers the nails partially. Cork the boiling tube and keep it aside for two
to three days.

OBSERVATION
13

BOILING TUBE SOLUTION

NO.
1

Dry air

Moisture but no air

Dil. NaOH, moisture(no air)

Dil. HCl, moisture as well as air

Air, moisture and some electrolytes

RUSTING

X
X
X

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

1. In the boiling tube no.1 air is present but there is no moisture. No
rusting was observed.
2. In boiling tube no.2 there is moisture but no air. No rusting was
observed.
3. In the boiling tube no.5 both air and moisture are present. Rusting
was observed in this case. Hence, it can be concluded that both
moisture and air are necessary for rusting.
4. In boiling tube no.3, moisture was present but there is no air. Thus
as expected there is no rusting. The excess of OH form NaOH
prevents the formation of Fe3+.
5. In boiling tube no.4, both air and moisture are present and rusting is
observed as expected. Presence of dil. HCl does not make any
difference. In fact the presence of H+ from HCl helps in rusting.
This is because H+ removes OH- from equilibrium. This shifts
equilibrium forward resulting in formation of more Fe3+ and helps
rusting.

PREVENTION OF CORROSION
14

 Choose products that are made of non-corrosive metals like stainless

steel and aluminium
Metal Corrosion can be best controlled by maintaining a dry
environment using suitable moisture barriers and drying agents.

Make sure that your electrical connections are clean

To prevent corrosion on a car or truck, apply a thin coating of

petroleum jelly after you clean the terminal.

15

 Always clean and dry the blades of garden tools after every use as
this eliminates moisture. Also wash always soil form shovels, hoes and
rakes before storing them in a cool and dry place. In addition, wash
your garden tools with soap and water, dry them and rub motor oil on
the metal parts before you put them away.

Coat metals with oil, paint, grease or varnish because it can prevent
corrosion.

Utilise cleaning agents like soaps, solvents, emulsions compounds and

chemicals to efficiently get rid of oil, grease, dirt and other
16

unwanted foreign deposits and follow the correct procedures in

applying them.

Metal corrosion that has already formed on car batteries can be

removed by using a mix of cola and baking soda to create a paste.
The paste will eat at the corrosion.

17

 To prevent soil corrosion, correctly install copper or copper alloy

plumbing underground. The main reasons that lead to corrosion of
copper pipelines are poor drainage and moisture. A loose layer of
backfill such as limestone or pea level must be put down in the trench
before laying copper pipes.

No metal is being immune to corrosion in all environments, though

monitoring to the environmental conditions that cause corrosion,
changes to the type of metal being used lead to reduction in
corrosion.

Some of the methods used to prevent corrosion and rusting are discussed
below:
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. Galvanisation: the metal iron is covered by a layer of more reactive
metals such as zinc. The active metal loses electrons in preference of
iron.
Thus, protecting rusting and corrosion.

18

CORROSION PRODUCT OF
METALS

1. COPPER CORROSION
Copper and copper alloys (Brass and Bronze)

Tarnish (patina) is black

More serious corrosion is green or blue-green (may be red

underneath).
Fingerprints easily stain polished metal.
Organic acids react with copper to form green corrosion products.

Tarnished Copper

Tarnished Brass

19

2. IRON CORRISON

Iron and Iron alloys (Wrought and Cast)

Corrosion rust-coloured (red, yellow, red-brown).

Rapid rusting (flash rusting) caused by sudden increase in relative

humidity.
Drops of liquid on iron or dry, hollow shells are evidence of
contamination by salt (chlorides).

Wrought Iron Objects

20

3. SILVER CORROSION

Silver Plate and Silver alloys (Sterling Silver)

Tarnish is black if thick.

Tarnish can be the colour of rainbow if thin.
Fingerprints easily stain polished silver.

Tarnish on Silver alloys

Interference colours on silver

21

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
TITLE
PUBLISHER
Chemistry Part I(Text Book for class NCERT
XII)
Chemistry Laboratory Manual(Class

Arya Publications

XII)
Corrosion Control(3rd Edition)

Butter Work

Websites
Corrosion and Mechanism of Corrosion
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/corrosion
Experimental Analysis
http://pubs.acs.org/corrosion/abs/445

22

23