Chemistry

project
Rusting of iron

Presented by
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 G.La
teka
XII-A3

BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that ………………………………

has successfully carried out the project titled ……..

………………………………………………………………...

in partial fulfillment of his/her investigatory

project in chemistry during the year …………..…….

Internal Examiner

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External Examiner

Principal

S.no Contents Pg.no

1. What is rust? 5

2. Chemical reactions 7

Oxidation of iron 9

Associated reactions 11

3. Prevention 15
Galvanizations 16

Rust resistant alloys 18

Coatings and paintings 19

Cathodic prevention 21

4. Experiment 22

5. Bibliography 26

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 Acknowledgement

I would like to acknowledge all the kind

hearts that have featured this project
alongside with me. First I would like to
thank my parents who have fed me with
immense knowledge. I would also be
grateful to my Principal and Chemistry
teacher who have been in my
development and my Friends who have
encouraged me throughout.

Finally I thank the lord almighty for

having given a wonderful surrounding
and the opportunity to gain more
knowledge.

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What is rust?
Rust is composed of iron oxides. In colloquial
usage, the term is applied to red oxides, formed by
the reaction of iron and oxygen in the presence of
water, air or moisture. Other form of rust exists,
like the result of reactions between iron and
chloride in an environment deprived of oxygen-
rebar used in underwater concrete pillars is an
example which generates green rust.

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 Several forms of rust are distinguishable
visually and by spectroscopy, and form under
different circumstances. Rust consists of hydrated
iron (III) oxides Fe2O3·nH2O and iron (III) oxide-
hydroxide (FeO(OH), Fe(OH)3).
Given sufficient time, oxygen and water, any
iron mass will eventually convert entirely to rust
and disintegrate. Surface rust is flaky and friable
and provides no protection to the underlying iron,
unlike the formation of patina on copper surfaces.
Rusting is to common term for corrosion of
iron and its alloys, such as steel. Many other
metals undergo equivalent corrosion, but the
resulting oxides are not commonly called rust.

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Chemical reactions
Rust is another name for iron oxide,[4] which
occurs when iron or an alloy that contains iron,
like steel, is exposed to oxygen and moisture for a
long period of time. Over time, the oxygen
combines with the metal at an atomic level,
forming a new compound called an oxide and
weakening the bonds of the metal itself.

Although some people refer to rust generally

as "oxidation", that term is much more general and
describes a vast number of processes involving the
loss of electrons or increased oxidation state, as
part of a reaction. The best-known of these
reactions involve oxygen, hence the name
"oxidation".

The terms "rust" and "rusting" only mean

oxidation of iron and its resulting products. Many
other oxidation reactions exist which do not
involve iron or produce rust. But only iron or
alloys that contain iron can rust. However,
other metals can corrode in similar ways.

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 The main catalyst for the rusting process is
water. Iron or steel structures might appear to be
solid, but water molecules can penetrate the
microscopic pits and cracks in any exposed metal.
The hydrogen atoms present in water molecules
can combine with other elements to form acids,
which will eventually cause more metal to be
exposed.

If chloride ions are present, as is the case with

saltwater, the corrosion is likely to occur more
quickly. Meanwhile, the oxygen atoms combine
with metallic atoms to form the destructive oxide
compound. As the atoms combine, they weaken
the metal, making the structure brittle and crumbly.

Oxidation of iron
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 When impure (cast) iron is in contact with
water, oxygen, other strong oxidants, or acids, it
rusts. If salt is present, for example in seawater
or salt spray, the iron tends to rust more quickly, as
a result of electrochemical reactions. Iron metal is
relatively unaffected by pure water or by dry
oxygen.
As with other metals, like aluminium, a
tightly adhering oxide coating, a passivation layer,
protects the bulk iron from further oxidation. The
conversion of the passivating ferrous oxide layer
to rust results from the combined action of two
agents, usually oxygen and water.
Other degrading solutions are sulfur
dioxide in water and carbon dioxide in water.
Under these corrosive conditions, iron
hydroxide species are formed. Unlike ferrous
oxides, the hydroxides do not adhere to the bulk
metal.

As they form and flake off from the surface,

fresh iron is exposed, and the corrosion process
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continues until either all of the iron is consumed or
all of the oxygen, water, carbon dioxide, or sulfur
dioxide in the system are removed or consumed.
When iron rusts, the oxides take up more volume
than the original metal; this expansion can
generate enormous forces, damaging structures
made with iron. See economic effect for more
details.

Associated reactions
The rusting of iron is an electrochemical
process that begins with the transfer of electrons
from iron to oxygen. The iron is the reducing agent
(gives up electrons) while the oxygen is the
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oxidizing agent (gains electron).The rate of
corrosion is affected by water and accelerated by
electrolytes, as illustrated by the effects of road
salt in the corrosion of automobile. The key
reaction is the reduction of oxygen:
O2 + 4  e− + 2 H2O → 4  OH−

Because it forms hydroxide ions, this process

is strongly affected by the presence of acid. Indeed
, the corrosion of the most metals by oxygen is
accelerated by low pH. Providing the electrons for
the above reaction is the oxidation of iron that may
be described as follows:
Fe → Fe2+ + 2  e−
The following red oxidation reaction also
occurs in the presence of water and is crucial to the
formation of rust:
4 Fe2+ + O2 → 4 Fe3+ + 2 O2−

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 In
addition, the following multistep acid-base
reactions affect the course of rust formation:
Fe2+ + 2  H2O ⇌ Fe(OH)2 + 2  H+
Fe3+ + 3  H2O ⇌ Fe(OH)3 + 3  H+

As do the following dehydration equilibria:

Fe(OH)2 ⇌ FeO + H2O
Fe(OH)3 ⇌ FeO(OH) + H2O
2 FeO(OH) ⇌ Fe2O3 + H2O

From the above equations, it is also seen that

the corrosion products are dictated by the
availability of water and oxygen. With limited
dissolved oxygen, iron (II)-containing materials
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are favored, including FeO and black lodestone or
magnetite (Fe3O4). High oxygen concentrations
favor ferric materials with the materials with the
nominal formulae Fe(OH)3−xOx⁄2. The nature of rust
changes with time, reflecting the slow rates of the
reaction of solids.
Furthermore, these complex processes are
affected by the presence of other ions, such as Ca 2+
, both of which serve as an electrolyte, and thus
accelerate rust formation, or combine with the
hydroxides and oxides of iron to precipitate a
variety of Ca, Fe, O, OH species.

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 Onset of rusting can also be detected in
laboratory with the use of ferroxyl indicator
solution. The solution detects voth Fe2+ ions and
hydroxyl ions. Formation of Fe2+ ions and
hydroxyl ions are indicated by blue and pink
patches respectively.

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Prevention
Because of the widespread use and importance
of iron and steel products, the prevention or
slowing of rust is the basis of major economic
activities in a number of specialized technologies.
A brief overview of methods is presented here; for
detailed coverage, see the cross-referenced
articles.

Rust is permeable to air and water, therefore

the interior metallic iron beneath a rust layer
continues to corrode. Rust prevention thus requires
coatings that preclude rust formation.

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Galvanization
Galvanization consists of an application on the
object to be protected of a layer of metallic zinc by
either hot-dip galvanizing or electroplating. Zinc is
traditionally used because it is cheap, adheres well
to steel, and provides cathodic protection to the
steel surface in case of damage of the zinc layer.
In more corrosive environments (such as salt
water), cadmium plating is preferred.
Galvanization often fails at seams, holes, and
joints where there are gaps in the coating. In these
cases, the coating still provides some partial
cathodic protection to iron, by acting as a galvanic
anode and corroding itself instead of the
underlying protected metal. The protective zinc
layer is consumed by this action, and thus
galvanization provides protection only for a
limited period of time.

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 More modern coatings add aluminium to the
coating as zinc-alum; aluminium will migrate to
cover scratches and thus provide protection for a
longer period. These approaches rely on the
aluminium and zinc oxides protecting a once-
scratched surface, rather than oxidizing as
a sacrificial anode as in traditional galvanized
coatings. In some cases, such as very aggressive
environments or long design life, both zinc and
a coating are applied to provide enhanced
corrosion protection.
Typical galvanization of steel products which
are to subject to normal day to day weathering in
an outside environment consists of a hot dipped
85 µm zinc coating. Under normal weather
conditions, this will deteriorate at a rate of 1 µm
per year, giving approximately 85 years of
protection.

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Rust resistant alloys
Stainless steel forms a passivation layer
of chromium(III)oxide. Similar passivation behavior
occurs with magnesium, titanium, zinc, zinc oxides,
aluminium, polyaniline, and other electroactive
conductive polymers.
Special "weathering steel" alloys such as Cor-
Ten rust at a much slower rate than normal,
because the rust adheres to the surface of the metal
in a protective layer. Designs using this material
must include measures that avoid worst-case
exposures, since the material still continues to rust
slowly even under near-ideal conditions.

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Coating and paintings
Rust formation can be controlled with
coatings, such as paint, lacquer, varnish, or wax
tapes that isolate the iron from the environment.
Large structures with enclosed box sections, such
as ships and modern automobiles, often have a
wax-based product (technically a "slushing oil")
injected into these sections. Such treatments
usually also contain rust inhibitors.

Covering steel with concrete can provide some

protection to steel because the alkaline pH
environment at the steel–concrete interface.
However, rusting of steel in concrete can still be a
problem, as expanding rust can fracture or slowly
"explode" concrete from within.

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 As a closely related example, iron bars were
used to reinforce stonework of the Parthenon
in Athens, Greece, but caused extensive damage by
rusting, swelling, and shattering the marble
components of the building.

When only temporary protection is needed for

storage or transport, a thin layer of oil, grease, or a
special mixture such as Cosmoline can be applied
to an iron surface. Such treatments are extensively
used when "mothballing" steel ship, automobile, or
other equipment for long-term storage.

Special antiseize lubricant mixtures are

available, and are applied to metallic threads and
other precision machined surfaces to protect them
from rust. These compounds usually contain
grease mixed with copper, zinc, or aluminium
powder, and other proprietary ingredients.

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Cathodic protection
Cathodic protection is a technique used to
inhibit corrosion on buried or immersed structures
by supplying an electrical charge that suppresses
the electrochemical reaction. If correctly applied,
corrosion can be stopped completely. In its
simplest form, it is achieved by attaching a
sacrificial anode, thereby making the iron or steel
the cathode in the cell formed.
The sacrificial anode must be made from
something with a more negative electrode potential
than the iron or steel, commonly zinc, aluminium,
or magnesium. The sacrificial anode will
eventually corrode away, ceasing its protective
action unless it is replaced in a timely manner.
Cathodic protection can also be provided by
using a special-purpose electrical device to
appropriately induce an electric charge.

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 Experiment
Aim:
To study the effect of metal coupling on the
rate of the reaction.

Materials required:
Beakers-15, iron sheets-2, aluminium rods-2,
brass rods-2, zinc sheets-2, measuring cylinders,
chemical balance, weight box, chemical-HCl and
NaOH.

Theory:
Corrosion is a serious problem of some metals
like iron, zinc, etc. which we use every day.

Apart from reducing the life of the articles of

these metals, chemical substances formed out
of these corrosion cause serious public health
problems.

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  Replacements of the machines are there parts
and many others articles lead to a huge
expenditure.
 Hence, preventing rusting of iron is a major
subject to study in electrochemistry.

Procedure:
 Mix 9 ml of conc. HCl with 241ml of water to
form 250ml of solution.
 Take this solution in 7 different beakers and
mark them with numbers.
 Take the weights of 3 iron sheets, 3
aluminium rods, 3 brass rods and 3 zinc
sheets, now place them in separate beakers.
 Then take iron+brass (IB), iron+aluminium
(IA), iron+zinc (IZ), aluminium+zinc (AZ),
brass+zinc (BZ) and keep them in separate
beakers.
 Allow the reactions to occur for 24 hrs.
 Note the maximum and minimum
temperatures.
 At the end of reactions take out the metals and
keep them in sun for some time, so that they
get dried up easily.
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  Take the weight of each specimen and note
the difference. Similarly repeat the steps
1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8 in a basic solution.
Observation:
S.No. Specimen (with acid) Initial weight Final weight
(gms) (gms)
1. Brass 8 5

2. Iron 8 6

3. Zinc 8 6.50

4. Aluminium 8 7.10

5. Iron+Aluminium 15 12.30

6. Brass+zinc 15 13.00

7. Iron+Zinc 15 14.10
Specimen (with base)
8. Brass 8 5.60

9. Iron 8 6.20

10. Zinc 8 7.10

11. Aluminium 8 7.60

12. Brass+Aluminium 15 12.90

13. Brass+zinc 15 13.60

14. Iron+Aluminium 15 14.40

Results and conclusions:

The rate of corrosion observed in acidic
medium or the mass consumed during the
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corrosion is in decreasing order from brass to
aluminium. Brass as highest corrosion rate
whereas aluminium as least corrosion rate.

Brass>iron>zinc >aluminium
When coupling of these metals where done
each couple showed some difference in their
corrosion with respect to each metal kept alone.
IA has the highest rate of corrosion while IZ has
the least rate of corrosion.
IA>BZ>IZ
The decreasing order of rate of corrosion in
basic medium is
Brass>zinc>iron>aluminium
The decreasing order of rate of corrosion
during coupling in basic medium is
BA>BZ>IA
Temperature and time of reactions were constant.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
 Google
 Wikipedia
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 Meritnation

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