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Metal that has been extracted from its primary ore (metal oxides or other free radicals)
has a natural tendency to revert to that state under the action of oxygen and water. This
action is called corrosion and the most common example is the rusting of steel.

Corrosion is an electro-chemical process that involves the passage of electrical currents

on a micro or macro scale. The change from the metallic to the combined form occurs by
an ³anodic´ reaction:
M ĺ M+ + e-
(metal) (soluble salt) (electron)

A common example is:

Fe ĺ Fe++ + 2e-

This reaction produces free electrons, which pass within the metal to another site on the
metal surface (the cathode), where it is consumed by the cathodic reaction. In acid
solutions the cathodic reaction is:

2H+ + 2e- ĺ H2
(hydrogen ions (gas)
in solution)

In neutral solutions the cathodic reaction involves the consumption of oxygen dissolved
in the solution:
O2 + 2H2O + 4e- ĺ 4OH-
(alkali)

Corrosion thus occurs at the anode but not at the cathode

(unless the metal of the cathode is attacked by alkali).
The anode and cathode in a corrosion process may be on two different metals connected
together forming a bimetallic couple, or, as with rusting of steel, they may be close
together on the same metal surface.
This corrosion process is initially caused by:

Differerence in natural potential in galvanic (bimetallic) couples.

Metallurgical variations in the state of the metal at different points on the surface.
Local differences in the environment, such as variations in the supply of oxygen at the
surface (oxygen rich areas become the cathode and oxygen depleted areas become the
anode).

The principle of cathodic protection is in connecting an external anode to the metal to be

protected and the passing of an electrical dc current so that all areas of the metal surface
become cathodic and therefore do not corrode. The external anode may be a galvanic
anode, where the current is a result of the potential difference between the two metals, or
it may be an impressed current anode, where the current is impressed from an external dc
power source. In electro-chemical terms, the electrical potential between the metal and
the electrolyte solution with which it is in contact is made more negative, by the supply
of negative charged electrons, to a value at which the corroding (anodic) reactions are
stifled and only cathodic reactions can take place. In the discussion that follows it is
assumed that the metal to be protected is carbon steel, which is the most common
material used in construction. The cathodic protection of reinforcing carbon steel in
reinforced concrete structures can be applied in a similar manner.

 

 





Ô by the use of galvanic (sacrificial) anodes, or

Ô by ³impressed´ current.

Galvanic anode systems employ reactive metals as auxiliary anodes that are directly
electrically connected to the steel to be protected. The difference in natural potentials
between the anode and the steel, as indicated by their relative positions in the electro-
chemical series, causes a positive current to flow in the electrolyte, from the anode to the
steel. Thus, the whole surface of the steel becomes more negatively charged and becomes
the cathode. The metals commonly used, as sacrificial anodes are aluminium, zinc and
magnesium. These metals are alloyed to improve the long-term performance and
dissolution characteristics.

Impressed-current systems employ inert (zero or low dissolution) anodes and use an
external source of dc power (rectified ac) to impress a current from an external anode
onto the cathode surface. The connections are similar for the application of cathodic
protection to metallic storage tanks, jetties, offshore structures and reinforced concrete
structures.

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