You are on page 1of 27

Definition of Corrosion

Corrosion is the deterioration of materials by chemical interaction with their environment. The term corrosion is sometimes also applied to the degradation of plastics, concrete and wood, but generally refers to metals.

INTRODUCTION
This Study deals with the cathodic protection of steel in

concrete and the effect of the applied current on the


concrete. The experiment involves the measurement of the

potential difference along the concrete which is exposed


in two different solutions in both the anodic and the cathodic compartment. The solution used in the anodic

compartment is sodium chloride 3.5% and in the


cathodic compartment is sodium hydroxide (pH between 12 and 13)

CHARACTERISTIC OF CONCRETE
Characteristic of Concrete concrete provides chemical protection to the steel with the formation of highly alkaline pore solution. The highly alkaline in the concrete promotes the formation of an adhering passive film in the surface of the steel, which protects it from corrosion. Corrosion of steel reinforcement Penetration of unfavourable chemical species can destroy the protective environment and eventually cause corrosion of the steel. Significant chemical species which can break down the passive film on the steel are carbon dioxide and chlorides.
Evans diagram of influence of increasing chloride content on corrosion rate of steel in concrete

CORROSION OF STEEL REINFORCEMENT


The chloride ion attacks the passive layer of the steel reinforcement and allow the corrosion process to proceed quickly. When steel in concrete corrodes, the iron ion dissolves in the pore water and gives up electrons. Carbon dioxide has a slow ingress to the concrete and reacts with the

alkaline components in the concrete, neutralising the alkalinity.


The corrosion product that will be obtained from these electrochemical reaction is hydrated ferric oxide or rust. Eventually, the most serious cases of concrete failure occur through the concrete cracking and spalling as a result of the volume increase at the steel/concrete interface.

Cl-

. pH >~10 . . . . .

. Cl-.

Cl-

.- Cl- . Cl - . Cl . . Cl . Cl Cl . ClCl. . . . . . . Cl- - Cl- . Cl- . Cl.. - Cl Cl Cl e e .Cl-

Cl-

.-

Cl-

Cl-

. .

Cl-

. . .

. .

. . ClElectrolyte . Cl. Cl-

Cathode .

. Anode . .
Cl-

Cl-

. . ClClCl-

. Cathode . .
ClCl.

.Cl
Cl-

. .

Iron Oxygen Moisture Corrosion = Iron + Oxygen + Moisture

Either
the pH falls due to carbonation or other chemicals chlorides reach the steel above the threshold concentration an electrical charge destroys the natural protection of the steel Electrons flow and ions migrate Rust expansion causes cracking Rapid deterioration Spalling

Patch Accelerated Corrosion


Chloride Contaminated Concrete Chloride-Free Patch

Potential Difference Between Patch and Chloride Contaminated Concrete Results in Accelerated Corrosion

Vector

Reinforcing Steel Coatings


Advantages Epoxy (0.010 in.) 1. Excellent bond to steel 2. Electrical insulator Disadvantages 1. Reduced bond to concrete 2. Spillage acts as bond breaker 3. Imperfections

PolymerModified Cementitious (0.040 in.)

1. Good bond to steel and concrete 2. High electrical resisitivity

1. Not as strong as epoxy 2. Lower resisitivity 3. Imperfections

Corrosion Inhibitors

Corrosion Inhibitors - Topically Applied


Chemicals applied topically to repair surfaces or areas to suppress the corrosion reaction Cathodic Inhibitors - Amine based salts (NH2) Anodic Inhibitors - Nitrite based salts (NO2)

Corrosion Inhibitors - Topically Applied (cont.)


Advantages: Initial lab testing showed promise for reducing corrosion potentials. Disadvantages: Field testing has shown low bond strengths, no reduction in corrosion potential. High cost to apply

Embedded Galvanic Anode


Sacrificial Metal Core

Tie Wires

Active Cementitious Matrix

Installed Zinc Anode


Chloride Contaminated Uncontaminated Concrete Concrete

Corrosion of Surrounding Rebar is Reduced

Galvanic Anode Sacrificially Corrodes

Corrosion Inhibitors The use of chemical inhibitors to decrease the rate of corrosion processes is quite varied. In the oil production and processing industries, inhibitors have always been considered to be the first line of defense against corrosion. Rules, equations or theories to guide inhibitor development or use are very limited. A synergism, or cooperation, is often present between different inhibitors and the environment being controlled, and mixtures are the usual choice in commercial formulations.

Classification of inhibitors
Inhibitors are chemicals that react with a metallic surface, or the environment this surface is exposed to, giving the surface a certain level of protection. Inhibitors often work by adsorbing themselves on the metallic surface, protecting the metallic surface by forming a film. Inhibitors are normally distributed from a solution or dispersion. Some are included in a protective coating formulation. Inhibitors slow corrosion processes by either: Increasing the anodic or cathodic polarization behavior Reducing the movement or diffusion of ions to the metallic surface Increasing the electrical resistance of the metallic surface.

Inhibitors have been classified differently by various authors. Some authors, for example, prefer to group inhibitors by their chemical functionality. However, by far the most popular organization scheme consists in regrouping corrosion inhibitors in a functionality scheme as follows: Passivating inhibitors Cathodic inhibitors Organic inhibitors Precipitation inhibitors Volatile corrosion Inhibitors

Passivating Inhibitors
Passivating inhibitors cause a large anodic shift of the corrosion potential, forcing the metallic surface into the passivation range.

There are two types of passivating inhibitors: Oxidizing anions, such as chromate, nitrite and nitrate, that can passivate steel in the absence of oxygen
Non oxidizing ions such as phosphate, tungstate and molybdate that require the presence of oxygen to passivate steel. These inhibitors are the most effective and consequently the most widely used. Chromate based inhibitors are the least expensive inhibitors and were used until recently in a variety of applications,
E.g. Recirculation-cooling systems of internal combustion engines, rectifiers, refrigeration units, and cooling towers. Sodium chromate, typically in concentrations of 0.04-0.1% was used for these applications.

In general, passivation inhibitors can actually cause pitting and accelerate corrosion when concentrations fall below minimum limits. For this reason it is essential that monitoring of the inhibitor concentration be performed.

Cathodic inhibitors Cathodic inhibitors either slow the cathodic reaction itself or selectively precipitate on cathodic areas to increase the surface impedance and limit the diffusion of reducible species to these areas. Cathodic inhibitors can provide inhibition by three different mechanisms as: Cathodic poisons Cathodic precipitates Oxygen scavenger.

Organic Inhibitors
Both anodic and cathodic effects are sometimes observed in the presence of organic inhibitors but, as a general rule, organic inhibitors affect the entire surface of a corroding metal when present in sufficient concentration. Organic inhibitors usually designated as 'film-forming', protect the metal by forming a hydrophobic film on the metal surface. The effectiveness of these inhibitors depends on the chemical composition, their molecular structure, and their affinities for the metal surface. Because film formation is an adsorption process, the temperature and pressure in the system are important factors.

Organic inhibitors will be adsorbed according to the ionic charge of the inhibitor and the charge on the surface. The strength of the adsorption bond is the dominant factor for soluble organic inhibitors.

Precipitation Inhibitors
Precipitation inducing inhibitors are film forming compounds that have a general action over the metal surface, blocking both anodic and cathodic sites indirectly. Precipitation inhibitors are compounds that cause the formation of precipitates on the surface of the metal, thereby providing a protective film. Hard water that is high in calcium and magnesium is less corrosive than soft water because of the tendency of the salts in the hard water to precipitate on the surface of the metal and form a protective film. The most common inhibitors of this category are the silicates and the phosphates. Sodium silicate, for example, is used in many domestic water softeners to prevent the occurrence of rust water.

Volatile Corrosion Inhibitors


Volatile Corrosion Inhibitors (VCI), also called Vapor Phase Inhibitors (VPI), are compounds transported in a closed environment to the site of corrosion by volatilization from a source. In boilers, volatile basic compounds, such as morpholine or hydrazine, are transported with steam to prevent corrosion in condenser tubes by neutralizing acidic carbon dioxide or by shifting surface pH towards less acidic and corrosive values.

ELECTROCHEMICAL CORROSION IN THE PRESENCE OF CLORIDE


.

Cl-

Effects of corrosion
Losses are economic and safety: Reduced Strength Downtime of equipment Lost surface properties Reduced value of goods

Corrosion prevention

You might also like