Corrosion: Uniform Attack

Metals Dr.
Aseel
Hadi
Corrosion
Corrosion is defined as the destructive and unintentional(‫)مقصود غير‬
attack of a metal; it is electrochemical and ordinarily begins at the surface.
Familiar examples include the rusting of automotive body panels and
radiator and exhaust(‫ )السيارات عادم‬components.
Forms Of Corrosion
It is convenient to classify corrosion according to the manner in which
it is manifest. Metallic corrosion is sometimes classified into eight forms:
uniform, galvanic, crevice, pitting, intergranular, selective leaching,
erosion–corrosion, and stress corrosion.
1) Uniform Attack
Uniform attack is a form of electrochemical corrosion that occurs with

equivalent intensity over the entire exposed surface and often leaves behind
a scale or deposit. In a microscopic sense, the oxidation and reduction
reactions occur randomly over the surface. Some familiar examples include
general rusting of steel and iron and the tarnishing(‫ )صدا‬of silverware( ‫انية‬
‫)الفضة‬. This is probably the most common form of corrosion.
2) Galvanic Corrosion
Galvanic corrosion occurs when two metals or alloys having different
compositions are electrically coupled while exposed to an electrolyte. The
less noble or more reactive metal in the particular environment will
experience corrosion; the more inert metal, the cathode, will be protected
from corrosion. For example, steel screws corrode when in contact with
brass in a marine environment; or if copper and steel tubing are joined in a
domestic(‫ )منزلي‬water heater, the steel will corrode in the vicinity of
the
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junction. Depending on the nature of the solution, one or more of the

reduction reactions, will occur at the surface of the cathode material.
The rate of galvanic attack depends on the relative anode-to-cathode surface

areas that are exposed to the electrolyte, for a given cathode area, a smaller
anode will corrode more rapidly than a larger one. The reason for this is that
corrosion rate depends on current density , the current per unit area of
corroding surface, and not simply the current. Thus, a high current density
results for the anode when its area is small relative to that of the cathode. A
number of measures may be taken to significantly reduce the effects of
galvanic corrosion. These include the following:
1. If coupling of dissimilar metals is necessary, choose two that are
close together in the galvanic series.
2. Avoid an unfavorable anode-to-cathode surface area ratio; use an anode
area as large as possible.
3. Electrically insulate dissimilar metals from each other.
4. Electrically connect a third, anodic metal to the other two; this is a form
of cathodic protection.
3) Crevice Corrosion ( ‫)صدعي تأكل‬

Electrochemical corrosion may also occur as a consequence of
concentration differences of ions or dissolved gases in the electrolyte
solution, and between two regions of the same metal piece. For such a
concentration cell, corrosion occurs in the locale that has the lower
concentration. A good example of this type of corrosion occurs in crevices
and recesses or under deposits of dirt or corrosion products where the
solution becomes stagnant and there is localized depletion of dissolved
oxygen. Corrosion preferentially occurring at these positions is called
crevice corrosion.
Crevice corrosion may be prevented by
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1) using welded instead of riveted or bolted joints.

2) removing accumulated deposits frequently
3) designing containment vessels to avoid stagnant areas.
4) Pitting
Pitting is another form of very localized corrosion attack in which

small pits or holes form. They ordinarily penetrate from the top of a
horizontal surface downward in a nearly vertical direction. It is an
extremely insidious(‫ )خفي‬type of corrosion, often going undetected and with
very little material loss until failure occurs. A pit may be initiated by a
localized surface defect such as a scratch or a slight variation in
composition. In fact, it has been observed that specimens having polished
surfaces display a greater resistance to pitting corrosion. Stainless steels are
somewhat susceptible to this form of corrosion; however, alloying with
about 2% molybdenum enhances their resistance significantly.
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5) Intergranular Corrosion
intergranular corrosion occurs preferentially along grain boundaries

for some alloys and in specific environments. The net result is that a
macroscopic specimen disintegrates along its grain boundaries. This type of
corrosion is especially prevalent in some stainless steels. When heated to
temperatures between 500 and800C° for sufficiently long time periods,
these alloys become sensitized to intergranular attack. It is believed that this
heat treatment permits the formation of small precipitate particles of
chromium carbide by reaction between the chromium and carbon in the
stainless steel. Both the chromium and the carbon must diffuse to the grain
boundaries to form the precipitates, which leaves a chromium-depleted
zone adjacent to the grain boundary. Consequently, this grain boundary
region is now highly susceptible to corrosion.
Stainless steels may be protected from intergranular corrosion by the

following measures:
(1) subjecting the sensitized material to a high-temperature heat treatment
in which all the chromium carbide particles are redissolved,
(2) lowering the carbon content below 0.03 wt% C so that carbide
formation is minimal.
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(3) alloying the stainless steel with another metal such as niobium or
titanium, which has a greater tendency to form carbides than does
chromium so that the Cr remains in solid solution.

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Metals Dr.

Uniform attack is a form of electrochemical corrosion that occurs with

junction. Depending on the nature of the solution, one or more of the

The rate of galvanic attack depends on the relative anode-to-cathode surface

3) Crevice Corrosion ( ‫)صدعي تأكل‬

1) using welded instead of riveted or bolted joints.

Pitting is another form of very localized corrosion attack in which

intergranular corrosion occurs preferentially along grain boundaries

Stainless steels may be protected from intergranular corrosion by the

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