TITLE : EFFECT OF METAL ON CORROSION

DEDICATION

We are using this opportunity to express our gratitude to everyone who

supported us throughout the course of this project.
We are heartily thankful to our teacher, Pn.Zuraida bt Zainal Abidin
whose encouragement, guidance and support from the initial to the final steps
of the research and had successfully enabled us to develop an understanding
of the research.

ABSTRACT

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of materials (usually metals) by

chemical reaction with their environment. Corrosion can also occur in materials
other than metals, such as ceramics or polymers, although in this context, the
term degradation is more common.
This experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of metals on
corrosion. The necessity of this experiment arises from the need to demonstrate
how a potentially corrosive situation may be recognized and avoided.
Four sample metals Zinc, Magnesium, Copper and Aluminium were
dipped separately I nto 5 different reagents which are Concentrated Hydrochloric
acid (HCl) , Sodium Hydroxide(NaOH), Vinegar, Coke and tapwater respectively.
Result obtained through the corrosion experiment is magnesium stripe
corrodes more in every reagent. The mass consumed during the corrosion is in
the decreasing order from magnesium to copper.
It was concluded that the magnesium has the highest corrosion rate
while copper has the least corrosion rate.

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION TO TITLE

1.1

Introduction

Corrosion is the gradual destruction of materials (usually metals) by

chemical reaction with their environment. Corrosion is a serious problem of
some metals like iron, zinc, aluminium 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 is the formation of iron oxide and involved 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 ermeability to liquids and gases.

1.2

Literature review
The consequences of corrosion are many and the effect of these on the safe,

reliable and efficient operation of equipment are often more serious than simple loss

massof a metal. Corrosion can be minimized by employing suitable strategies which

retard the corrosion reaction. It is widely accepted that inhibitors especially the
organic compounds can effectively protect the metal from corrosion. Several works
have been done with compounds containing polar functions on the corrosion
inhibition of metals in various aqueos media.
For many centuries there seems to have been little curiosity regarding the
causes of corrosion, although a few significant observations were made. Lomonosov
(1743 1750) was the first to make broad systematic experiments on the study of the
action of acids on metals.
As early as 1788, Austin noticed that water, originally neutral, tends to become
alkaline when it acts on iron. He attributed the alkalinity to the compound now called
ammonia ; this was probably an error, since the alkaline reaction produced by most
saline waters is due to sodium hydroxide, the cathodic product of the electrochemical
corrosion process.
Elewady et al. (2008): The work presented in this paper aims to investigate
the efficiency of some surface coatings as corrosion inhibitors for aluminum in acidic
media. An attempt is also made to clarify the effects of concentration and
temperature on the inhibition efficiency of the studied inhibitors. The investigated
coating compounds act as inhibitors for the corrosion of aluminum in hydrochloric
acid (HCl) solution. The inhibitors increase the value of activation energy of
corrosion and consequently, decrease the rate of dissolution of aluminum in the HCl
solution.
Tatum, M, 2003 exposed the Corrosion is a process that takes place when
essential properties within a given material begin to deteriorate, after exposure to
elements that recur within the environment. Most often, this deterioration is noticed
in metals and referred to as rust. What happens in this case is the chemical reactions
that are set up by an exposure of the electrons in the metal to the presence of water
and oxygen.
1.3

Problem statement

In order to study the effect of metal on corrosion , different types of metal

and solutions were use. Via observation, the result of the corrosion can be
obtained.

1.4

Objectives of research

The objective of this project are :

- to determine which metal corrode more
- to determine the factors that causes the metal to corrode

CHAPTER 2

METHODOLOGY

2.1

List of apparatus and materials

In order to successfully conducting the experiment , the following

apparatus and materials are used. Apparatus and materials used are as follow:
beakers, metals ( Zinc, Magnesium, Copper and Aluminium),chemical balance,
petri dish, 50 ml of measuring cylinder and solutions ( Concentrated hydrochloric
acid, concentrated sodium hydroxide, Vinegar , Coke and Tap water ).

2.2

Procedure

First of all, 20ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid were mixed into 3

beakers and 1 petri dish. The beakers were marked as Mg, Cu, Al and petri
dish as Zn. The weights of zinc plate, magnesium stripe, copper plate and
aluminium sheet were recorded as the initial weight. The magnesium stripe,
copper plate, aluminium sheet are placed into separate beakers and zinc plate
into the petri dish. Then, step 1,2,3 and 4 are repeated with concentrated
sodium hydroxide, Vinegar, Coke and Tap water. This specimens are left in the
lab for 3 days. In the end of the reaction, the metals were placed under the
sun to let it dry before record the weight of the final measurement.
Corrosions occurs are noted.
2.3

Data collection

In this experiment, the data collected were recorded in the table below :
Table 2.1 : Sample and data collected

REAGENTS

INITIAL
AND FINAL
WEIGHT
THAT
OBTAINED
IN (g)

METALS

Zinc

Magnesium

INITIAL
HCl
FINAL
INITIAL
NaOH
FINAL
INITIAL
VINEGAR
FINAL
INITIAL
COKE
FINAL
INITIAL
TAP
WATER

FINAL

CHAPTER 3

Copper

Aluminium

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

3.1

Observation and results

Table 3.1 : Sample and data collected

3.2

INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSIONS

REAGENTS

INITIAL
AND FINAL
WEIGHT
THAT
OBTAINED
IN (g)

METALS

Zinc

Magnesium

Copper

Aluminium

INITIAL

7.73

0.09

1.02

0.51

FINAL

7.30

0.74

0.33

INITIAL

8.20

0.10

118

0.51

FINAL

8.20

0.10

1.20

INITIAL

7.98

0.08

0.81

0.49

FINAL

7.90

0.81

0.49

INITIAL

7.59

0.09

0.75

050

FINAL

7.59

0.09

0.75

0.50

INITIAL

8.02

0.08

0.84

0.48

FINAL

8.15

0.09

0.85

0.48

HCl

NaOH

VINEGAR

COKE

TAP WATER

A chemical reaction, at the most basic level, means that one or more
substances change into new substances. This often involves observable
phenomenon, such as heat and light, color change or the production of gas. At

the molecular level, however, a chemical reaction means a change in the

number of electrons orbiting the outer shell of an element, whether metal or
non-metal.
Metals undergoes chemical reactions the same as other elements do,
but their reactivity level depends on what class theyre in.When 4 metals
( Aluminium,Copper,Magnesium and Zinc ) interact with Hydrochloric acid , the
metals with fewer electrons in the last shell will have a higher reactivity rate
then stable atoms that have exact amount of electrons and protons in every
shell because when an element has only one or two electrons in its valence
shell but the valence shell is incomplete.. This made the metals to corrode
faster in the hydrochloric acid.
Thus, the vinegar speeds up the corrosion because it contains a dilute
form of acetic acid where the positive ions in the acid remove electrons from
iron, ionizing it and making it susceptible to corrode.
Metals also deteriorate quickly in damp environments because moist air
provides an ideal medium in which corrosiveness forms. A water droplet , in
effect, becomes a small battery, allowing ions to move freely between the iron
and oxygen.
Certain metals are susceptible to corrosion. When metals comes into
contact with oxygen and water, they break down the surface of the metal
through oxidation and cause the material to weaken and corrode.This might
cause accidents or a hazardous situations in building areas because the
buildings could not sustain their structure.
The nature and extent of corrosion depend on the metal and the
environment. The important factors which may influence the corrosion process
are nature of the metal, environment, temperature, electrode potential and
hydrogen over voltage.
There are two prevention of corrosion. First corrosion protection is
active corrosion protection where it influence the reactions which proceed
during corrosion.The another protection is permanent corrosion protection. The
purpose of permanent corrosion protection method is mainly to provide

protection at the place of used.the stresses presented by climatic , biotic and

chemical factors are relatively slight in this situation.

CHAPTER 4

CONCLUSION

From the results obtained , it is found that magnesium has the higher
level of corrosion.Magnesium metal corrode more in all the reagent than other
metals.It disappear in Hydrochloric acid and vinegar. While zinc metals does
not corrode more in all the reagents.
We know that corrosion is a process which we come across in our
daily life. This process is a slow destruction of metals and materials
containing environment We can use coating method for avoid this destruction
like coating the surface of the metals with thin layer of paint, varnish or
ceramic.

REFERENCE

Elewady, G.Y. El-Said, I. A. Fouda, A. S Anion surfactants as corrosion inhibitors

for aluminium dissolution in HCl solutions, International Journal of
Electrochemical Science, 3, 177-190, (2008)

Tatum, M, 2003, What is Corrosion ?

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-corrosion.htm ;
(Accessed on 20 September 2016)

http://corrosion-doctors.org/MatSelect/corrmetals.htm ;
Corrosion of metals ; (accessed on 20 September 2016)

http://corrosion.ksc.nasa.gov/corr_metal.htm ; Why metals corrode ;

(Accessed on 20 September 2016)

Theme

: Chemistry in daily life

Topic

: Effect of metal on corrosion

Purpose

: To investigate the effect of metal on corrosion in different reagents

Apparatus and material

Beakers-15
Petri dish - 5
Aluminium sheets - 5
Copper plates - 5
Zinc plate - 5
Magnesium strips - 5
Measuring cylinders
Chemical Balance

1.0 mol 0f Concentrated Hydrochloric acid

1.0 mol of Concentrated Sodium hydroxide
Vinegar
Coco-cola
Tap water

Procedure
:
a) 20ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid were mixed into 3 beakers and
1 petri dish.
b) The beakers were marked as Mg, Cu, Al and petri dish as Zn.
c) The weights of zinc plate, magnesium stripe, copper plate and
aluminium sheet were recorded as the initial weight.
d) The magnesium stripe, copper plate, aluminium sheet are placed into
separate beakers and zinc plate into the petri dish
e) Step 1,2,3 and 4 are repeated with Conncentrated sodium hydroxide,
Vinegar, Coke and Tap water.
f) specimens are left in the lab for 3 days.
g) Then, the metals were placed under the sun to let it dry before record
the weight of the final measurement.
h) Corrosions that occurs were noted. Final weights were recorded.
Result and data

REAGENTS

HCl

INITIAL
AND FINAL
WEIGHT
THAT
OBTAINED
IN (g)

METALS

Zinc

Magnesium

Copper

Aluminium

INITIAL

7.73

0.09

1.02

0.51

FINAL

7.30

0.74

0.33

INITIAL

8.20

0.10

118

0.51

FINAL

8.20

0.10

1.20

INITIAL

7.98

0.08

0.81

0.49

FINAL

7.90

0.81

0.49

INITIAL

7.59

0.09

0.75

050

FINAL

7.59

0.09

0.75

0.50

INITIAL

8.02

0.08

0.84

0.48

NaOH

VINEGAR

COKE

TAP WATER
FINAL
8.15
0.09
0.85
0.48
Conclusion : From the results obtained , it is found that magnesium has the
higher level of corrosion.Magnesium metal corrode more in all the reagent
than other metals.It disappear in Hydrochloric acid and vinegar. While zinc
metals does not corrode more in all the reagents.