AKINPELUMI K.

F
To investigate the effect of pH level on corrosion rate

Short Laboratory Report

Presented To
The Department of Chemical Engineering

BY

AKINPELUMI, K.F. (Group B)

Mat No. 100401013

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Course

Chemical Engineering Laboratory II

University of Lagos, Lagos

June 28, 2012

AKINPELUMI K.F
ABSTRACT
This experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of pH level on corrosion rate. The
necessity of this experiment arises from the need to demonstrate how a potentially corrosive
situation may be recognized and avoided.
Three sample metals Copper, Aluminum and Stainless Steel; were dipped in 3 beakers
containing Saturated NaOH solution (pH 11), Distilled Water (pH 7) and Conc. H2SO4 Acid
(pH 3) respectively.
The weight loss after a particular time interval was recorded and the corrosion rates of each
individual metal in the different solutions were also calculated and analyzed.
The nature of the metal rods and solutions before and after the corrosion was observed and in
certain solutions, vigorous reactions with heavy cloudiness were noticed.
It was concluded that the metals showed unique corrosion characteristics in the various solutions
of stated pH levels; with aluminum showing the highest tendency to corrode under any particular
pH level.

AKINPELUMI K.F
INTRODUCTION
The aim of this experiment is to investigate the effect of pH level on corrosion rate. The
necessity of this experiment arises from the need to demonstrate how a potentially corrosive
situation may be recognized and avoided.
pH, originally defined by Danish biochemist Sren Peter Lauritz Srensen in 1909, is a measure
of the concentration of hydrogen ions. The term pH was derived from the manner in which the
hydrogen ion concentration is calculated, it is the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion (H+)
concentration:
pH = -log [H+] .eqn 3.1
Where log is a base-10 logarithm. According to the Compact Oxford English Dictionary, the "p"
stands for the German word for "power", potenz, so pH is an abbreviation for "power of
hydrogen".
A higher pH means there are fewer free hydrogen ions, and that a change of one pH unit reflects
a tenfold change in the concentrations of the hydrogen ion. For example, there are 10 times as
many hydrogen ions available at a pH of 7 than at a pH of 8. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. A
pH of 7 is considered to be neutral. Substances with pH of less than 7 are acidic and substances
with pH greater than 7 are considered to be basic.
Low pH acid waters clearly accelerate corrosion by providing a plentiful supply of hydrogen
ions. Although even absolutely pure water contains some free hydrogen ions, free carbon dioxide
in the water can multiply the hydrogen ion concentration many times. When carbon dioxide
dissolves in water, it reacts with the water to form carbonic acid, a so-called weak acid, but an
effective source of acidity. Even more acidity is sometimes encountered in acid mine waters, or
in those contaminated with industrial wastes.
Both acids and alkali's have the capability of being corrosive, although one would have a pH
range of 0 - (acid), while the other would range in the area of 14 (alkali). Sodium hydroxide, a
very strong and corrosive alkali would have the same damaging effect on human tissue as
sulfuric acid. If a 25% concentration of sulfuric acid and phosphoric acid were measured for pH,
both would range in the area of 0. However, if sulfuric acid were allowed to contact human
tissue, severe burns would result, while the average person would not detect even a burning
sensation from contact with the phosphoric acid. Why? The answer lies in the corrosive nature of
some acids over others.

AKINPELUMI K.F

Through experimentation and testing over the years by chemists, certain characteristics have
been observed in the reactions of acids and alkalis, and were assigned classifications accordingly.
One of the classifications is corrosiveness. Therefore to classify a product or compound as being
corrosive means that it would have the potential to eat away at something, in some cases very
rapidly, and it would have the capability of being harmful to objects such as metals, structural
components of an aircraft and human tissue.
Corrosion is the gradual destruction of material, usually metals, by chemical reaction with its
environment. Corrosion is the reversion of a metal to its ore form. Iron, for example, reverts
to iron oxide as the result of corrosion. The process of corrosion however is a complex electro
chemical reaction and it takes many forms. Corrosion may produce general attach over a large
metal surface or it may result in pinpoint penetration of metal.

AKINPELUMI K.F
In this experiment, the metals provided were cut into small sizeable shapes and the solutions
carefully prepared. The NaOH pellets provided were dissolved in 50 ml of distilled water, and
more NaOH pellets were added till the solution could no longer dissolve the pellets and became
saturated. It must be stressed here that so many pellets had to be added because NaOH is very
soluble in water as a result of the hydrogen bonds formed.
Also, equal amounts of Distilled water and conc. H2SO4 Acid were shared into the remaining
beakers.
Careful observations were made as to which solution turned cloudy and what the nature of the
metals looked like during and after the corrosion process. The weight loss of the metals was
calculated by subtracting the initial weight before the corrosion process from the final weight
after washing and drying of the metal.
The corrosion rate for each of the metals in the various solutions of stated pH levels was
calculated and necessary deductions were made.

AKINPELUMI K.F
RESULTS
Beaker A contained Saturated NaOH solution (pH 11)
Beaker B contained Distilled Water (pH 7)
Beaker C contained conc. H2SO4 (pH 3)

The following tables show the weight loss of the various metal samples Copper, Aluminum and
Stainless steel in the 3 beakers A, B and C.
Table 4.1
Beaker A - Saturated NaOH solution (pH 11)
METAL
SAMPLE
Copper

INITIAL MASS
(g)
12.83

FINAL MASS
(g)
12.82

WEIGHT LOSS
(g)
0.01

TIME TAKEN
(s)
1800

Aluminum

7.22

7.10

0.12

1800

Stainless Steel

10.30

10.29

0.01

1800

Table 4.2
Beaker B Distilled Water (pH 7)
METAL
SAMPLE
Copper

INITIAL MASS
(g)
11.43

FINAL MASS
(g)
11.43

WEIGHT LOSS
(g)
0.00

TIME TAKEN
(s)
3600

Aluminum

15.11

15.02

0.09

3600

Stainless Steel

9.67

9.66

0.01

3600

Table 4.3
Beaker C Conc. H2SO4 Acid (pH 3)
METAL
SAMPLE
Copper

INITIAL MASS
(g)
10.72

FINAL MASS
(g)
10.71

WEIGHT LOSS
(g)
0.01

TIME TAKEN
(s)
1800

Aluminum

7.60

7.59

0.01

1800

Stainless Steel

15.11

15.10

0.01

1800

AKINPELUMI K.F
Corrosion rate =

Weight loss
time taken

For Copper in Beaker A;

Corrosion rate =

0.01
1800

= 5.556 * 10-6g/s

For Aluminum in Beaker A;

Corrosion rate =

0.12
1800

= 6.667 * 10-5g/s = 66.667 * 10-6g/s

For Stainless Steel in Beaker A;

Corrosion rate =

0.01
1800

= 5.556 * 10-6g/s

For Copper in Beaker B;

Corrosion rate =

0.00
3600

= 0.00g/s

For Aluminum in Beaker B;

Corrosion rate =

0.09
3600

= 2.500 * 10-5g/s = 25.000 * 10-6g/s

For Stainless Steel in Beaker B;

Corrosion rate =

0.01
3600

For Copper in Beaker C;

= 2.778 * 10-6g/s

AKINPELUMI K.F
Corrosion rate =

0.01
1800

= 5.556 * 10-6g/s

For Aluminum in Beaker C;

Corrosion rate =

0.01
1800

= 5.556 * 10-6g/s

For Stainless Steel in Beaker C;

Corrosion rate =

0.01
1800

= 5.556 * 10-6g/s

Table 4.4
METAL SAMPLE

Copper
Aluminum
Stainless Steel
Copper
Aluminum
Stainless Steel
Copper
Aluminum
Stainless Steel

WEIGHT LOSS
(g)

TIME TAKEN
(s)

Beaker A - Saturated NaOH solution (pH 11)

0.01
1800
0.12
1800
0.01
1800
Beaker B Distilled Water (pH 7)
0.00
3600
0.09
3600
0.01
3600
Beaker C Conc. H2SO4 acid (pH 3)
0.01
1800
0.01
1800
0.01
1800

CORROSION
RATE
(g/s)
5.556*10-6
66.667*10-6
5.556*10-6
0.00
25.000*10-6
2.778*10-6
5.556*10-6
5.556*10-6
5.556*10-6

AKINPELUMI K.F

DISCUSSION
From the results I obtained from this experiment, I observed that the various metals Copper,
Aluminum and Stainless Steel, displayed unique corrosion characteristics in the various pH
solutions saturated NaOH solution (pH 11), Distilled Water (pH 7) and conc. H2SO4 acid (pH3).

From the tables, I observed that Copper had the same weight loss of 0.01g after 30 minutes
(1800s) in both saturated NaOH solution of pH 11 and conc. H2SO4 acid of pH 3; thereby having
the same corrosion rate of 5.556*10-6g/s in both solutions. However when placed in the distilled
water for 1 hour (3600s), there was no weight loss, indicating that corrosion did not take place.

I also observed that the Copper metal that had been placed in the distilled water solution
remained very much the same in terms of color and surface roughness after the 1 hour (3600s)
had elapsed. Also, there was no visible reaction or effervescence and the solution remained clear
throughout the 1 hour that the copper atom was in the distilled water. However, in both the
saturated NaOH solution and conc. H2SO4 acid, a little cloudiness of the solutions was observed.

From the tables, I observed that aluminum had a very high weight loss of 0.12g in saturated
NaOH solution of Ph 11 after 30 minutes (1800s), and also very high weight loss of 0.09g in
distilled water of ph 7 after 1 hour (3600s), and a weight loss of 0.01g in conc. H2SO4 acid after
30 minutes had elapsed.

AKINPELUMI K.F
I also observed a very visible and vigorous reaction in the aluminum metals that were placed in
both the saturated NaOH solution and distilled water and the final solutions became very cloudy
showing evidence of corrosion.

After the metals had been dissolved and dried, there was a visible shrinking of the metal and it
appeared to have been charred, though this could have been as a result of some impurities in the
metal.

The aluminum metal in the acidic solution did not show too much visible reaction though there
was a little cloudiness.

From the tables, I observed that stainless steel had the same weight loss of 0.01g in both
saturated NaOH solution of pH 11 and conc. H2SO4 of pH 3 after 30 minutes and 0.01g in
distilled water of pH 7 after 1 hour. This shows that irrespective of the pH level, stainless steel
had a relatively constant corrosion rate.
Also I observed that in all of the 3 solutions, there was a little cloudiness and the stainless steel
metal showed a little shrinking.
The data obtained can therefore be summarized in the table below;

Table 5.1

METAL SAMPLE

Copper
Aluminum
Stainless Steel

Saturated NaOH
solution
(pH 11)
5.556*10-6
66.667*10-6
5.556*10-6

CORROSION RATE
(g/s)
Distilled Water
(pH 7)
0.00
25.00*10-6
2.778*10-6

Conc. H2SO4 Acid

(pH 3)
5.556*10-6
5.556*10-6
5.556*10-6

AKINPELUMI K.F

CONCLUSION

The corrosion rate of Copper metal in a high pH level solution of 11 is the same as in a
low pH level solution of 3 and has a value of 5.556*10-6 g/s.

Also, in a completely neutral solution of pH 7, no corrosion occurs in the copper metal

after 1 hour (3600s).

The corrosion rate of Aluminum is found to vary directly with the pH level.

As the pH level increases from 3 to 11, the corrosion rate of Aluminum is found to show a
relatively proportional increase.

Therefore, it can be implied that corrosion is more visible in aluminum metal when it is
dipped in solutions of higher pH values.

The corrosion rate of Stainless Steel in a high pH level of 11 is the same at a low pH level
of 3 and has a value of 5.556*10-6 g/s.

Also, in a completely neutral pH of 7, minimal corrosion occurred in the Stainless Steel

after 1 hour (3600s); with a corrosion rate of 2.778*10-6 g/s.

Also, at a low pH level of 3, all the 3 metals Copper, Aluminum and Stainless Steel have
the same corrosion rate; a value of 5.556*10-6g/s.

AKINPELUMI K.F

At a high pH level of 11, Aluminum had the highest corrosion rate of 66.667*10-6g/s while
copper and Stainless Steel had the same corrosion rate of 5.556*10-6g/s.

The various metals Copper, Aluminum and Stainless Steel, displayed unique corrosion
characteristics in the various pH solutions saturated NaOH solution (pH 11), Distilled
Water (pH 7) and conc. H2SO4 acid (pH3)
From all the sample metals tested, Aluminum showed the highest tendency to corrode
under any particular pH level condition.

RECOMMENDATIONS

I would suggest that a more efficient way of immersing or dipping the metals into the
respective solutions is adopted. The use of strings is strongly recommended as this would
expose a larger surface area of the metal to the corrosive activity of the solution.

I suggest that the aluminum metals be thoroughly scratched after the experiment before
they are being used for any subsequent experiments because the aluminum metals charred
and had a coating of black soot around them.

AKINPELUMI K.F

APPENDIX
To further corroborate my conclusion that the corrosion of the aluminum metal increased with
increasing pH level, the conc. H2SO4 acid used was diluted with water to increase the pH level,
and there was a much more noticed vigorous reaction, with the solution becoming very cloudy;
implying that corrosion was much more pronounced at that higher pH level of the diluted acid.