Experiment 3: Corrosion of Metals

Experiment 3
CORROSION OF METALS

OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of the experiment, the student should be able to:

1. observe the reactions of different metals placed in aqueous solutions of various pH;
2. determine the effect of mechanical stress on the corrosion of metals;
3. determine the effects of metal coupling on the corrosion of metals; and
4. identify the chemical reactions for corrosion.

LIST OF CHEMICALS

 0.1 M HCl  Iron nails

 0.1 M NaOH  Zinc strips
 0.1 M NaCl  Copper strips
 K3Fe(CN)6 indicator  Litmus paper (red)
 Agar  Litmus paper (blue)
 Phenolphthalein  Distilled water
 FeSO4

LIST OF APPARATUS

 Hot plate  Watch glass

 Cooling pad  Petri dish
 Hot hands  Beakers (400 or 600 mL)
 Pipet (10 mL)  Test tubes
 Rubber bulb aspirator  Pliers
 Stirring rod  Top loading balance

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

1. Wear laboratory gown or apron during the entire laboratory period and safety goggles
when doing the experiment.
2. Be careful in handling glassware.
3. Be careful with hot objects; never use bare hands to touch them as this might cause
serious burns on your skin. Do not place the hot objects on the table top.
4. Some chemicals are corrosive. In case of its contact with your skin or clothing, wash it
immediately with plenty of cold water. Do the same in case of spills, wash off with
plenty of cold water.
5. Dispense the chemicals in the hood. Do not inhale the vapors.

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Experiment 3: Corrosion of Metals

6. Read again the laboratory rules on safety before proceeding to the experiment.

WASTE DISPOSAL

1. Dispose used chemicals in appropriate waste containers provided. Check the labels to
ensure that you are throwing the chemical in the correct bins. Unexpected reactions
might occur if different chemicals are mixed together.
2. Throw solid wastes in the trash bin.

DISCUSSION

The word corrosion often brings to mind the picture of rust and destruction. This
phenomenon, however, is not limited to iron.
Corrosion is a general term applied to the process in which uncombined metals are
converted to oxides or other compounds. This form of oxidation causes the gradual
deterioration of metals.
Corrosion of metals is an electrochemical process in nature. The mechanism of attack
in an aqueous environment involves flow of electrons from certain areas of a metal surface to
other areas through an environment capable of conducting ions. There are certain essential
components that are needed for a corrosion reaction to proceed such as an anode, a cathode,
an electrolyte with oxidizing species, and some direct electrical connection between the anode
and cathode.
Corrosion will proceed at the anodic site according to a reaction such as: M (s) 
M (aq) + ne-. The resulting metal cations (Mn+) become corrosion products such as oxides,
n+

hydroxides, etc. The liberated electrons travel to the cathode, where they are consumed by
cathodic reactions such as: O2 + 2H2O + 4e-  4OH-. At a cathodic site, the electrons react with
some reducible component of the electrolyte and are themselves removed from the metal. The
corroding piece of metal is described as a “mixed electrode” which is a complete
electrochemical cell on one metal surface.
There are many factors that can influence corrosion such as temperature, pH, salinity,
water velocity, dissolved oxygen and condition of the metals. It is now known that the oxidation
of metals occurs most readily at points of strain (where the metals are most active).

PROCEDURE

A. REACTIONS OF METALS WITH VARIOUS AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS

1. Place a clean bright nail in each of the of five test tubes. Slide each nail carefully
down the side to avoid breaking the bottom of the test tube.

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Experiment 3: Corrosion of Metals

2. Fill each test tube with the test solutions (0.1 M HCl, 0.1 M NaOH, 0.1 M NaCl, and
distilled water) such that the nails are completely immersed.
3. Determine the acidity of each solution using litmus paper or phenolphthalein.
4. Allow the nails to stand overnight in the solutions.
5. Observe any changes that have taken place. Record the results.
6. After the observation, add one to two drops of 0.1 M K3Fe(CN)6 solution. Record
your observations.
7. In a separate test tube, add 0.1 M K3Fe(CN)6 solution to 1.00 mL of ferrous sulfate
solution. Record your observations.

B. PREPARATION OF AGAR MEDIUM

1. Heat about 100 mL of distilled water to a gentle boil.

2. Remove the heat and stir in 0.5 g agar.
3. Continue heating the solution with stirring until the agar is dispersed.
4. Add 10 drops of 0.1 M K3Fe(CN)6 solution and 4 drops of phenolphthalein to the agar
mixture.
5. Stir and cool the mixture to lukewarm.

C. REACTION OF IRON AS INFLUENCED BY MECHANICAL STRESS

1. Select two bright and clean nails.

2. Place one nail on one side of the petri dish.
3. Bend the other nail sharply with a pair of pliers and place it on the other side of the
petri dish as shown in Figure 3.1.

Figure 3.1. Lay-out of nails in a petri dish.

4. When the agar mixture has cooled, pour it carefully into the petri dish until the nails
are covered to a depth of about 0.5 cm.
5. Let it stand overnight.
6. Observe any changes that have taken place. Record the results.

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Experiment 3: Corrosion of Metals

D. REACTIONS INVOLVING TWO METALS IN CONTACT

1. Wind a clean piece of copper strip around a clean iron nail.
2. Remove the nail and tighten the copper coil so that when the nail is reinserted into
the copper coil, it makes a tight contact with the coil.
3. Repeat step 1 and 2 using a zinc strip on another nail.
4. Place these nails (including a naked nail) in a petri dish as shown in Figure 3.2.
Make sure the nails do not touch each other.

Figure 3.2. Lay-out of nails in a petri dish.

5. Pour the lukewarm agar mixture into the petri dish until the nails are covered to a
depth of about 0.5 cm.
6. Allow the nails to stand overnight.
7. Observe any changes that have taken place. Record the results.

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Experiment 3: Corrosion of Metals

Name: Date Performed:

Course/Section: Date Submitted:
Group No: Instructor:

REPORT SHEET

Experiment 3
CORROSION OF METALS

RESULTS AND INTERPRETATIONS

A. REACTIONS OF METALS WITH VARIOUS AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS

Table 3.1. Observations on iron nails placed in different solutions.

Observations
Solution
Without K3Fe(CN)6 With K3Fe(CN)6 Acidic/Basic/
Neutral
HCl
NaOH
NaCl
Distilled H2O
control

List the solutions where no indication of corrosion was observed.

List the solutions where corrosion was observed.

Table 3.2. Observations on the reaction between FeSO 4 and K3Fe(CN)6.

FeSO4 + K3Fe(CN)6

Compare the results in Table 3.2 to that obtained when K3Fe(CN)6 was added to the various
solutions containing nails. What conclusion can be made from the results in Table 3.1.

___________________________________________________________________________
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Experiment 3: Corrosion of Metals

Ferrous ions react with K3Fe(CN)6 to form a colored precipitate. Write the chemical
reaction involved.

B. REACTIONS OF IRON AS INFLUENCED BY MECHANICAL STRESS

Table 3.3. Effect of mechanical stress on the corrosion of iron nails.

Part Observations
Straight nail Bent nail
Head
Pointed end
Bend portion
Body of the nail

What conclusion can be drawn from the observations in Table 3.3?

C. REACTIONS OF IRON INVOLVING TWO METALS IN CONTACT

Table 3.4. Effect of metals in contact on the corrosion of iron nails.

Set-up Observations
Fe with Cu

Fe with Zn

What color in the agar set-up indicates the site of oxidation reaction? Reduction reaction?

Fe with Cu Oxidation: ________________________________________

Reduction: ________________________________________

Fe with Zn Oxidation: ________________________________________

Reduction: ________________________________________

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Experiment 3: Corrosion of Metals

Write the oxidation and reduction reactions in each set-up.

Fe with Cu Oxidation: ________________________________________

Reduction: ________________________________________

Fe with Zn Oxidation: ________________________________________

Reduction: ________________________________________

REFERENCES (cite the references that you used)

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