PODAR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

CHINCHWAD

CHEMISTRY INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

Effect of Metal Coupling on

Corrosion
2017-2018

NAME:

CLASS:

CBSE ROLL NO:

 Contents
1. Certificate
2. Acknowledgement
3. Introduction
4. Resistance to corrosion
5. Aim
6. Materials Required
7. Theory
8. Procedure
9. Observations
10. Conclusions
11. Precautions
12. Protection from corrosion
13. Bibliography
 PODAR INTERNATIONL SCHOOL, CHINCHWAD

CERTIFICATE
YEAR: 2017-2018

This is to certify that Vaibhav vaste, a student of podar international

school, chinchwad of class XII Science, Roll no. _________ has completed
his semester project in the fulfillment of curriculum. All India Senior
Secondary Examination.

The project work ________ is the original work done by him during his
above semester project.

________________ _________________ ________________

Principals Externals Internals

Signature Examiner Examiner

School stamp
Date: _________________
 AKNOWLEDGMENT

I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to the principal, Ms

Shehanaz Cottar for her encouragement and for the support that she provided
for this work, I sincerely appreciate this magnanimity by talking me into her
fold for which I shall remain indebted to her.

I also extend my heartily thanks to Mr. Seturaj Mishra, Chemistry teacher

who guided me to the successful completion of this project. I take this
opportunity to express deep sense of gratitude for his valuable guidance,
constant encouragement and immense motivation, which has sustained my
efforts at all stages of this project work.
 Introduction
• Corrosion is the gradual destruction of materials (usually metals) by chemical reaction
with their environment.

Corrosion of Iron
• Corrosion is a serious problem of some metals
like iron, zinc, aluminum and alloys like brass
which are commonly used in day to day life.
• Basically, this means
electrochemical 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 or 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.
Resistance to Corrosion
• Some metals are more intrinsically
resistant to corrosion than others.
• There are various ways of protecting
metals from corrosion (oxidation)
including painting, hot dip galvanizing, and
combinations of these.
• Intrinsic chemistry
• Gold nuggets do not naturally corrode,
even on a geological time scale.
• The materials most resistant to corrosion
are those for which corrosion is thermodynamically unfavorable. Any corrosion products
of gold or platinum tend to decompose spontaneously into pure metal, which is why these
elements can be found in metallic form on Earth and have long been valued. More common
"base" metals can only be protected by more temporary means.
Aim:
To study the rate of corrosion in different types of metals

Materials Required:
Apparatus:

1. Beakers-15
2. Iron sheets of 2
3. Aluminum rods of 2
4. Brass rods of 2
5. Zinc sheets of 2
6. Measuring cylinders
7. Chemical Balance
8. Weight Box.

Chemicals:

1. Hydrochloric acid and

2. Sodium hydroxide.
Procedure:
1. Mix 9 ml. of conc. HCl with 241 ml. of water to form 250 ml. of solution.
2. Take this solution in seven different beakers.
3. Mark each beaker serially from 1 to 7.
4. Take the weights of three iron sheets, three aluminum rods, three brass rods and three
zinc sheets.
5. Now keep iron sheets, aluminum rods, zinc sheets and brass rod in separate beakers
6. Then take iron + brass, iron + aluminum, iron + zinc, aluminum + zinc and brass + zinc
and keep them in different beakers.
7. Allow the reactions to occur for 24 hours.
8. Note the maximum and minimum temperatures.
9. Now at the end of reaction take out the metals and keep them in sun for some time so
that they get dried up quickly
10.Take the weights of each specimen and note the difference.
11.Similarly repeat 1-8 steps in a basic solution.
Observations:
These experiments are done under acidic condition

Sloe Specimen (with acid) Initial weight Final weight

(In gm.) (In gm.)

1 Brass 8 5

2 Iron 8 6

3 Zinc 8 6.50

4 Aluminum 8 7.10

5 Aluminum + Iron 15 12.30

6 Brass + Zinc 15 13.00

7 Iron + Zinc 15 14.10

Observations:
These experiments are done under basic condition

Sloe Specimen (with base) Initial weight Final weight

(In gm.) (In gm.)

1 Brass 8 5.80

2 Iron 8 6.20

3 Zinc 8 7.10

4 Aluminum 8 7.60

5 Aluminum + Iron 15 12.90

6 Brass + Zinc 15 13.60

7 Iron + Zinc 15 14.40

 The order of corrosion of metals
Result:
• 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 aluminum has the least
corrosion rate.
Brass > Iron > Zinc > Aluminum
• When coupling of these metals was done each couple
showed some difference in their corrosion with respect
to each metal kept alone
Iron + Aluminum 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 + Aluminum > Brass + Zinc> Iron + Zinc
• Rate of corrosion in basic medium is in the decreasing order from Brass to Aluminum.
The order of rate of corrosion is as below:
Brass > Zinc >Iron > Aluminum
• When these metals were coupled the rate of corrosion was in the decreasing order from
Brass+ Aluminum > Brass + Zinc >
Iron + Aluminum
Temperature and time of reaction were constant i.e., temperature was 21° C and time of
reaction was 24 hours.
• Corrosion is a serious problem of some metals like iron, zinc, aluminum 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.
• 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, aluminum.
• The present experiments are in full agreement with the well-known electro-chemical
reaction. Some of the typical reactions as occur with iron are illustrated.
• The reactions at respective electrodes are:
At cathode: Fe Fe + 2e.
In acid the equilibrium is
HCl H+ + Cl-
At anode:
The water which is in equilibrium
H2O H+ + OH-
Here the Fe2+ cation will readily take Cl and form FeCl . While H of acid will be reacting with
Another H+ of water and will form H gas. While OH. Anion will also react with some of the iron
and will form Fe(OH) which is observed in the form of
Rust.
Conclusion:
• The e.m.f of these metals are in the order of Al:Zn:Fe .

The values are e.m.f

Al Al3 + 3e- 1.66V

Zn Zn2 + 2e- 0.76V

Fe Fe 2 + 2e- 0.44V

Prevention from corrosion:

• Applied coatings :
Plating, painting, and the application of enamel are the most common anti-
corrosion treatments. They work by providing a barrier of corrosion-resistant
material
between the
damaging
environment
and the
structural
material.
• Cathodic protection :
Cathodic protection (CP) is a technique to control the corrosion of a metal
surface by making that surface the cathode of an electrochemical cell. Cathodic
protection systems are most commonly used to protect steel, water, and
fuel pipelines and tanks; steel pier piles, ships, and offshore oil platforms.
• Anodic protection
Anodic protection impresses anodic current on the structure to be protected
(opposite to the cathodic protection). It is appropriate for metals that exhibit
passivity (e.g., stainless steel) and suitably small passive current over a wide range
of potentials. It is used in aggressive environments, e.g., solutions of sulfuric acid.
Bibliography:
1. XII class Chemistry NCERT Books
2. iCBSE.com
3. XII class Chemistry Practical Book
4. Photos from Google images.
5. More Information from Wikipedia