ASM
INTERNATIONAL ®
Publication Information and Contributors
Corrosion was published in 1987 as Volume 13 of the 9th Edition Metals Handbook. With the fourth printing (1992), the
series title was changed to ASM Handbook. The Volume was prepared under the direction of the ASM International
Handbook Committee.
Volume Chairmen
The Volume Chairmen were Lawrence J. Korb, Rockwell International and David L. Olson, Colorado School of Mines
Authors and Reviewers
• H. Ackerman Edco Products, Inc.
• Donald R. Adolphson Sandia Laboratories
• D.C. Agarwal Haynes International, Inc.
• V.S. Agarwala Naval Air Development Center
• John D. Alkire Amoco Corporation
• John R. Ambrose University of Florida
• Albert A. Anctil Department of the Army
• Phillip J. Andersen Zimmer
• D.B. Anderson National Bureau of Standards
• Peter L. Andresen General Electric Research and Development Center
• Dennis M. Anliker Champion International Corporation
• Frank J. Ansuini Consulting Engineer
• A.J. Armini Surface Alloys Corporation
• William G. Ashbaugh Cortest Engineering Services
• Aziz I. Asphahani Haynes International, Inc.
• Terje Kr. Aune Norsk Hydro (Norway)
• Denise M. Aylor David Taylor Naval Ship Research & Development Center
• Robert Baboian Texas Instruments, Inc.
• C. Bagnall Westinghouse Electric Corporation
• V. Baltazar Noranda Research Centre (Canada)
• Edward N. Balko Englehard Corporation
• Calvin H. Baloun Ohio University
• R.C. Bates Westinghouse Electric Corporation
• Michael L. Bauccio The Boeing Company
• Charles Baumgartner General Electric Company
• Richard Baxter Sealand Corrosion Control, Ltd.
• R.P. Beatson Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada
• John A. Beavers Battelle Columbus Division
• T.R. Beck Electrochemical Technology, Inc.
• S. Belisle Noranda Inc. (Canada)
• Robert J. Bell Heat Exchanger Systems, Inc.
• B.W. Bennett Bell Communications Reseach
• David C. Bennett Champion International Corporation
• E.L. Bereczky Unocal Corporation
• Carl A. Bergmann Westinghouse Electric Corporation
• I.M. Bernstein Carnegie-Mellon University
• A.K. Bhambri Morton Thiokol Inc.
• Robert C. Bill Lewis Research Center National Aeronautics & Space Administration
• C.R. Bird Stainless Foundry & Engineering, Inc.
• Neil Birks University of Pittsburgh
• R. Ross Blackwood Tenaxol, Inc.
• Malcolm Blair Delray Steel Casting, Inc.
• A.J. Blazewicz Babcock & Wilcox
• J. Blough Foster Wheeler Development Corporation
• Michael E. Blum FMC Corporation
• Bennett P Boffardi Calgon Corporation
• P.W. Bolmer Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corporation
• Rodney R. Boyer Boeing Commercial Airplane Company
• Samuel A. Bradford University of Alberta (Canada)
• Robert W. Bradshaw Sandia National Laboratories
• J.W. Braithwaite Sandia National Laboratories
• W.F. Brehm Westinghouse Hanford Company
• P. Bro Technical Consultant
• R. Brock Teledyne CAE
• Alan P. Brown Argonne National Laboratory
• M. Browning Technical Consultant
• S.K. Brubaker E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc.
• John C. Bruno J & L Specialty Products Corporation
• James H. Bryson Inland Steel Company
• R.J. Bucci Alcoa Laboratories
• Charles D. Bulla ICI Americas Inc.
• Donald S. Burns Spraymetal, Inc.
• H.E. Bush Corrosion Consultant
• Dwight A. Burford Colorado School of Mines
• J. Butler Platt Brothers & Company
• W.S. Butterfield Beloit Corporation
• L.E. Cadle Texas Eastern Products Pipeline Company
• John Campbell Quality Carbide, Inc.
• L.W. Campbell General Magnaplate Corporation
• Thomas W. Cape Chemfil Corporation
• Bernie Carpenter Colorado School of Mines
• Allan P. Castillo Sandusky Foundry & Machine Company
• Victor Chaker The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
• George D. Chappell Nalco Chemical Company
• Robert S. Charlton B.H. Levelton & Associates, Ltd. (Canada)
• G. Dale Cheever General Motors Research Laboratories
• Newton Chessin Martin Marietta Aerospace
• Robert John Chironna Croll-Reynolds Company, Inc.
• Omesh K. Chopra Argonne National Laboratory
• Wendy R. Cieslak Sandia National Laboratories
• Ken Clark Fansteel--Wellman Dynamics
• Clive R. Clayton State University of New York at Stony Brook
• S.K. Coburn Corrosion Consultants, Inc.
• Robert Coe Public Service Company of Colorado
• B. Cohen Air Force Wright Aeronautical Laboratories
• Roland L. Coit Technical Consultant
• L. Coker Exxon Chemical Company
• N.C. Cole Combustion Engineering Inc.
• E.L. Colvin Aluminum Company of America
• J.B. Condon Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.
• B. Cooley Hoffman Silo Inc.
• Richard A. Corbett Corrosion Testing Laboratories, Inc.
• B. Cox Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.
• W.M. Cox Corrosion and Protection Centre University of Manchester (England)
• Bruce Craig Metallurgical Consultants, Inc.
• K.R. Craig Combustion Engineering Inc.
• William R. Cress Allegheny Power Service Corporation
• Paul Crook Haynes International, Inc.
• Thomas W. Crooker Naval Research Laboratory
• Ronald D. Crooks Hercules, Inc.
• Carl E. Cross Colorado School of Mines
• Robert Crowe Naval Research Laboratory
• J.R. Crum Inco Alloys International, Inc.
• Daniel Cubicciotti Electric Power Research Institute
• William J. Curren Cortronics, Inc.
• Michael J. Cusick Colorado School of Mines
• Carl J. Czajkowski Brookhaven National Laboratory
• Brian Damkroger Colorado School of Mines
• P.L. Daniel Babcock & Wilcox
• Joseph C. Danko American Welding Institute
• Vani K. Dantam General Motors Corporation
• C.V. Darragh The Timken Company
• Ralph M. Davison Avesta Stainless, Inc.
• Sheldon W. Dean Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
• Terry DeBold Carpenter Technology Corporation
• Thomas F. Degnan Consultant
• James E. Delargey Detroit Edison
• Stephen C. Dexter University of Delaware
• Ronald B. Diegle Sandia National Laboratories
• J.J. Dillon Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.
• Bill Dobbs Air Force Wright Aeronautical Laboratories
• R.F. Doelling The Witt Company
• James E. Donham Consultant
• R.B. Dooley Electric Power Research Institute
• D.L. Douglass University of California at Los Angeles
• Donald E. Drake Mobil Corporation
• L.E. Drake Stauffer Chemical Company
• Carl W. Dralle Ampco Metal
• Edgar W. Dreyman PCA Engineering, Inc.
• Barry P. Dugan St. Joe Resources Company
• Arthur K. Dunlop Corrosion Control Consultant
• Walter B. Ebner Honeywell Inc.
• G.B. Elder Union Carbide Corporation
• Peter Elliott Cortest Engineering Services Inc.
• Edward Escalante National Bureau of Standards
• Charles L.L. Faust Consultant
• R. Fekete Ford Motor Company
• Ron Fiore Sikorsky Aircraft
• S. Fishman Office of Naval Research
• W.D. Fletcher Westinghouse Electric Corporation
• Mars G. Fontana Materials Technology Institute
• F. Peter Ford General Electric Research & Development Center
• Robert Foreman Park Chemical Company
• L.D. Fox Tennessee Valley Authority
• Anna C. Fraker National Bureau of Standards
• David Franklin Electric Power Research Institute
• Douglas B. Franklin George C. Marshall Space Flight Center National Aeronautics & Space
Administration
• David N. French David French Inc.
• R.A. French BASF Corporation
• R.E. Frishmuth Cortest Laboratories
• Allan Froats Chromasco/Timminco, Ltd. (Canada)
• P. Fulford Florida Power and Light Company
• J.M. Galbraith Arco Alaska Inc.
• J.W. Gambrell American Hot Dip Galvanizers Association
• S. Ganesh General Electric Company
• Richard P. Gangloff University of Virginia
• Thomas W. Gardega National Thermal Spray Company
• Warren Gardner Department of the Air Force
• Andrew Garner Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada
• D. Gearey Corrosion and Protection Centre University of Manchester (England)
• George A. Gehring, Jr. Ocean City Research Corporation
• Floyd Gelhaus Electric Power Research Institute
• Randall M. German Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• William J. Gilbert Croll-Reynolds Company, Inc.
• Paul S. Gilman Allied-Signal
• William Glaeser Battelle Columbus Division
• Samuel V. Glorioso Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center National Aeronautics & Space
Administration
• Cluas G. Goetzel Stanford University
• Michael Gold Babcock & Wilcox
• Barry M. Gordon General Electric Company
• Gerald M. Gordon General Electric Company
• Andrew John Gowarty Department of the Army
• Robert Graf United Technologies Research Center
• Richard D. Granata Lehigh University
• Stanley J. Green Electric Power Reseach Institute
• C.D. Griffin Carbomedics, Inc.
• Richard B. Griffin Texas A&M University
• John Grocki Haynes International, Inc.
• Earl C. Groshart Boeing Aerospace Company
• V.E. Guernsey Electroplating Consultants International
• Ronald D. Gundry Buckeye Pipe Line Company
• S.Wm. Gunther Mangel, Scheuermann & Oeters, Inc.
• Jack D. Guttenplan Rockwell International
• H. Guttman Noranda Research Centre (Canada)
• J. Gutzeit Amoco Corporation
• Charles E. Guzi Procter and Gamble Company
• Harvey P. Hack David Taylor Naval Ship Research & Development Center
• J.D. Haff E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc.
• Christopher Hahin Materials Protection Associates
• William B. Hampshire Tin Research Institute, Inc.
• James A. Hanck Pacific Gas & Electric Company
• Paul R. Handt Dow Chemical Company
• Michael Haroun Oklahoma State University
• Charles A. Harper Westinghouse Electric Corporation
• J.A. Hasson E.F. Houghton & Company
• David Hawke Amax Magnesium
• Gardner Haynes Texas Instruments, Inc.
• F.H. Haynie Environmental Protection Agency
• Robert H. Heidersbach California Polytechnic State University
• C. Heiple Rockwell International
• Lawrence E. Helwig USX Corporation
• James B. Hill Allegheny Ludlum Corporation
• James Hillis Dow Chemical Company
• John P. Hirth Ohio State University
• Norris S. Hirota Electric Power Research Institute
• N.J. Hoffman Rockwell International
• E.H. Hollingsworth Aluminum Company of America (retired)
• A. Craig Hood ACH Technologies
• R.L. Horst Aluminum Company of America
• J.B. Horton J.B. Horton Company
• K. Houghton Wollaston Alloy Inc.
• Louis E. Huber, Jr. Technical Consultant
• F.J. Hunkeler NRC Inc.
• H.Y. Hunsicker Aluminum Company of America (retired)
• J.R. Hunter Pfizer Inc.
• Carl A. Hutchinson Federal Aviation Administration
• S. Ibarra Amoco Corporation
• N. Inoue Kubota America Corporation
• R.I. Jaffee Electric Power Research Institute
• J.F. Jenkins Naval Civil Engineering Loboratory
• James W. Johnson WKM--Joy Division
• Mark J. Johnson Allegheny Ludlum Corporation
• Philip C. Johnson Materials Development Corporation
• Otakar Jonas Consultant
• Allen R. Jones M&T Chemicals, Inc.
• L. Jones ERT, A Resource Engineering Company
• R.H. Jones Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories
• R.M. Kain LaQue Center for Corrosion Technology, Inc.
• Herbert S. Kalish Adamas Carbide Corporation
• M.H. Kamdar Benet Weapons Laboratory
• Russell D. Kane Cortest Laboratories
• A. Kay Akron Sand Blast & Metallizing Company
• T.M. Kazmierczak UGI Corporation
• J.R. Kearns Allegheny Ludlum Corporation
• Victor Kelly NDT International
• G.D. Kent Parker Chemical Company
• H. Kernberger Bohler Chemical Plant Equipment (Austria)
• George E. Kerns E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc.
• R.J. Kessler Department of Transportation Bureau of Materials Research
• Yong-Wu Kim Inland Steel Company
• Fraser King Whiteshell Nuclear Research Establishment (Canada)
• J.H. King Chrysler Corporation
• Thomas J. Kinstler Metalplate Galvanizing, Inc.
• W.W. Kirk LaQue Center for Corrosion Technology, Inc.
• Samuel Dwight Kiser Inco Alloys International, Inc.
• Erhard Klar SCM Metal Products
• D.L. Klarstrom Haynes International, Inc.
• D.T. Klodt Manville Corporation
• Gregory Kobrin E.L. Du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc.
• G.H.Koch Battelle Columbus Division
• John W. Koger Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.
• Thomas G. Kollie Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.
• Juri Kolts Conoco Inc.
• Karl-Heintz Kopietz Henry E. Sanson & Sons, Inc.
• Karl A. Korinek Parker Chemical Company
• Curt W. Kovach Crucible Materials Corporation
• Peter Krag Colorado School of Mines
• H.H. Krause Battelle Columbus Division
• William D. Krippes J.M.E. Chemicals
• A.S. Krisher ASK Associates
• Clyde Krummel Morton Thiokol, Inc.
• Kenneth F. Krysiak Hercules, Inc.
• Paul Labine Petrolite Research & Development
• J.Q. Lackey E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc.
• G.Y. Lai Haynes International, Inc.
• F.K. Lampson Marquordt Corporation
• E.A. Lange Technical Consultant
• Bruce Lanning Colorado School of Mines
• John Larson Ingersoll-Rand Company
• S. Larson Sundstrand Aviation
• David S. Lashmore National Bureau of Standards
• R.M. Latanison Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• J.A. Laverick The Timken Company
• Herbert H. Lawson Armco, Inc.
• Harvey H. Lee Inland Steel Company
• T.S. Lee National Association of Corrosion Engineers
• Henry Leidheiser, Jr. Center for Surface and Coating Research Lehigh University
• G.L. Leithauser General Motors Corporation
• Jack E. Lemons University of Alabama School of Dentistry
• G.G. Levy Chrysler Corporation
• Richard O. Lewis University of Florida
• Barry D. Lichter Vanderbilt University
• E.L. Liening Dow Chemical Company
• Bernard W. Lifka Aluminum Company of America
• Stephen Liu Pennsylvania State University
• Carl E. Locke University of Kansas
• A.W. Loginow Consulting Engineer
• F.D. Lordi General Electric Company
• C. Lundin University of Tennessee
• R.W. Lutey Buckman Laboratories, Inc.
• Fred F. Lyle, Jr. Southwest Research Institute
• Richard F. Lynch Zinc Institute Inc.
• A.J. Machiels Electric Power Research Institute
• J. Lee Magnon Dixie Testing & Products Inc.
• Gregory D. Maloney Saureisen Cements Company
• Paul E. Manning Haynes International, Inc.
• Miroslav I. Marek Georgia Institute of Technology
• Christopher Martenson Sandvik Steel Company
• J.A. Mathews Duke Power Company
• S.J. Matthews Haynes International, Inc.
• D. Mattox Sandia National Laboratories
• Daniel J. Maykuth Tin Research Institute, Inc.
• Joseph Mazia Mazia Tech-Com Services, Inc.
• M.M. McDonald Rockwell International
• J.E. McLaughlin Exxon Research & Engineering Company
• David H. Meacham Duke Power Company
• David N. Meendering Colorado School of Mines
• Jay Mehta J&L Specialty Products Corporation
• R.D. Merrik Exxon Research & Engineering Company
• Thomas Metz Naval Air Propulsion Center
• Fred H. Meyer, Jr. Air Force Wright Aeronautical Laboratories
• K. Miles Pulp & Paper Research Institute of Canada
• G.A. Minick A.R. Wilfley & Sons, Inc.
• K.L. Money LaQue Center for Corrosion Technology, Inc.
• B.J.Moniz E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc.
• Raymond W. Monroe Maynard Steel Casting Company
• Jean A. Montemarano David Taylor Naval Ship Research & Development Center
• J.F. Montle Carboline Company
• P.G. Moore Naval Research Laboratory
• Robert E. Moore United Engineers and Constructors
• Hugh Morrow Zinc Institute Inc.
• Robert E. Moser Electric Power Research Institute
• Max D.Moskal Stone Container Corporation
• Herbert J. Mueller Corrosion Consultant
• John J. Mueller Battelle Columbus Division
• S.K. Murarka Abitibi-Price Inc. (Canada)
• Charles A. Natalie Colorado School of Mines
• J. Lawrence Nelson Electric Power Research Institute
• James K. Nelson PPG Industries, Inc.
• R.J. Neville Dofasco Inc. (Canada)
• Dale C.H. Nevison Zinc Information Center, Ltd.
• R.A. Nichting Colorado School of Mines
• R.R. Noe Public Service Electric and Gas Company
• Peter Norberg AB Sandvik Steel Company (Sweden)
• W.J. O'Donnell Public Service Electric and Gas Company
• Thomas G. Oakwood Inland Steel Reseach Laboratories
• D.L. Olson Colorado School of Mines
• William W. Paden Oklahoma State University
• T.O. Passell Electric Power Research Institute
• C.R. Patriarca Haynes International, Inc.
• David H. Patrick ARCO Resources Technology
• Steven J. Pawel University of Tennessee
• G. Peck Cities Service Oil & Gas Corporation
• Bruno M. Perfetti USX Corporation
• Sam F. Pensabene General Electric Company
• Jeff Pernick International Hardcoat, Inc.
• William L. Phillips E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc.
• Joseph R. Pickens Martin Marietta Laboratories
• Hugh O. Pierson Ultramet
• D.L. Piron École Polytechnique de Montreal (Canada)
• Patrick Pizzo San Jose State University
• M.C. Place, Jr. Shell Oil Company
• Frederick J. Pocock Babcock & Wilcox
• Ortrun Pohler Institut Straumann AG (Switzerland)
• Steven L. Pohlman Kennecott Corporation
• Charles Pokross Fansteel Inc.
• Ned W. Polan Olin Corporation
• D.H. Pope Rensselaer Polytechnic University
• A.G. Preban Inland Steel Company
• R.B. Priory Duke Power Company
• R.B. Puyear Monsanto Company
• M. Quintana General Dynamics Electric
• Christopher Ramsey Colorado School of Mines
• Robert A. Rapp Ohio State University
• Louis Raymond L. Raymond & Associates
• George W. Read, Jr. Technical Consultant
• J.J. Reilly McDonnell Douglas Corporation
• Roger H. Richman Daedalus Associates, Inc.
• R.E. Ricker National Bureau of Standards
• O.L. Riggs, Jr. Kerr McGee Corporation
• Blaine W. Roberts Combustion Engineering, Inc.
• J.T. Adrian Roberts Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories
• Charles A. Robertson Sun Refining & Marketing Company
• H.S. Rosenberg Battelle Columbus Division
• Philip N. Ross, Jr. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory
• Gene Rundell Rolled Alloys
• S. Sadovsky Public Service Electric and Gas Company
• William Safranek American Electroplaters and Surface Finishers Society Headquarters
• Brian J. Saldanha Corrosion Testing Laboratories, Inc.
• William Scarborough Vickers, Inc.
• Glenn L. Scattergood Nalco Chemical Company
• L.R. Scharfstein Mobil Research and Development Company
• S.T. Scheirer Westinghouse Electric Corporation
• John H. Schemel Sandvik Specialty Metals Corporation
• George Schick Bell Communications Research
• Mortimer Schussler Fansteel Inc. (retired)
• Ronald W. Schutz TIMET Corporation
• B.J. Scialabba JME Chemicals
• John R. Scully David Taylor Naval Ship Research & Development Center
• J.J. Sebesta Consultant
• M. Sedlack Technicon Enterprises Inc.
• Ellen G. Segan Department of the Army
• R. Serenius Western Forest Products Ltd. (Canada)
• I.S. Shaffer Department of the Navy
• Sandeep R. Shah Vanderbilt University
• W.B.A. Sharp Westvaco Research Center
• C.R. Shastry Bethlehem Steel Corporation
• Barbara A. Shaw David Taylor Naval Ship Research & Development Center
• Robert A. Shaw Electric Power Research Institute
• Gene P. Sheldon Olin Corporation
• R.D. Shelton Champion Chemicals, Inc.
• T.S. Shilliday Battelle Columbus Division
• D.W. Shoesmith Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.
• C.G. Siegfried Ebasco Services, Inc.
• W.L. Silence Haynes International, Inc.
• D.C. Silverman Monsanto Company
• G. Simard Reid Inc. (Canada)
• J.R. Simmons Martin Marietta Corporation
• Harold J. Singletary Lockheed-Georgia Company
• John E. Slater Invetech, Inc.
• J. Slaughter Southern Alloy Corporation
• George Slenski Air Force Wright Aeronautical Laboratories
• J.S. Smart III Amoco Production Company
• Albert H. Smith Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company
• Dale L. Smith Argonne National Laboratory
• F.N. Smith Alcan International Ltd. (Canada)
• Gaylord D. Smith Inco Alloys International, Inc.
• Jerome F. Smith Lead Industries Association, Inc.
• Carlo B. Sonnino Emerson Electric Company
• Peter Soo Brookhaven National Laboratory
• N. Robert Sorenson Sandia National Laboratories
• C. Spangler Westinghouse Electric Corporation
• T.C. Spence The Duriron Company, Inc.
• Donald O. Sprowls Consultant
• Narasi Sridhar Haynes International, Inc.
• Stephen W. Stafford University of Texas at El Paso
• J.R. Stanford Nalco Chemical Company (retired)
• E.E. Stansbury University of Tennessee
• T.M. Stastny Amoco Corporation
• A.J. Stavros Union Carbide Corporation
• T. Steffans Anhauser-Busch Brewing Company, Inc.
• Robert Stiegerwald Bechtel National, Inc.
• Donald R. Stickle The Duriron Company, Inc.
• T.J. Stiebler Houston Light & Power Company
• John G. Stoecker III Monsanto Company
• Paul J. Stone Chevron U.S.A.
• M.A. Streicher University of Delaware
• John Stringer Electric Power Research Institute
• T.J. Summerson Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corporation
• M.D. Swintosky The Timken Company
• W.R. Sylvester Combustion Engineering, Inc.
• Barry C. Syrett Electric Power Research Institute
• Robert E. Tatnall E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc.
• Kenneth B. Tator KTA-Tator, Inc.
• George J. Theus Babcock & Wilcox
• David E. Thomas RMI Company
• C.B. Thompson Pulp & Paper Research Institute of Canada
• Norman B. Tipton The Singleton Corporation
• P.F. Tortorelli Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• Herbert E. Townsend Bethlehem Steel Corporation
• K.L. Tryon The Timken Company
• R. Tunder General Electric Company
• Arthur H. Tuthill Tuthill Associates Inc.
• John A. Ulam Clad Metals, Inc.
• Robert H. Unger TAFA Inc.
• William Unsworth Magnesium Elektron, Ltd. (England)
• T.K. Vaidyanathan N.Y.U. Dental Center
• Ralph J. Velentine VAL-CORR
• J.H. VanSciver Allied-Signal Corporation
• Ellis D. Verink, Jr. University of Florida
• R. Viswanathan Electric Power Research Institute
• Ray Wainwright Technical Consultant
• James Walker Federal Aviation Administration
• Donald Warren E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc.
• Ray Watts Quaker Petroleum Chemicals Company
• William P. Webb Failure Analysis Associates
• R.T. Webster Teledyne Wah Chang Albany
• John R. Weeks Brookhaven National Laboratory
• Lawrence J. Weirick Sandia National Laboratories
• Donald A. Wensley MacMillan Bloedel Research (Canada)
• R.E. Westerman Pacific Northwest Laboratory
• Eddie White Air Force Wright Aeronautical Laboratories
• William E. White Petro-Canada Resources
• D. Whiting Portland Cement Association
• Ron Williams Air Force Wright Aeronautical Laboratories
• E.L. Williamson Southern Company Services
• G.G. Wilson Stora Forest Industries (Canada)
• G.C. Wood Corrosion and Protection Centre University of Manchester (England)
• Ian G. Wright Battelle Columbus Division
• T.E. Wright Alcan International Ltd. (Canada) (retired)
• B.A. Wrobel Northern Indiana Public Service Company
• B.S. Yaffe Diversey Wyandotte Metals
• T.L. Yau Teledyne Wah Chang Albany
• Ronald A. Yeske The Institute of Paper Chemistry
• Edward Zysk Englehard Corporation
Foreword
Volume 13 of the Metals Handbook series was compiled in response to the demand from our membership for a detailed
work on the multibillion-dollar problem that confronts nearly every design engineer in every industry: corrosion. It
represents the culmination of three years of intensive planning, writing, editing, and production. The hard work has paid
off. Corrosion is the largest, most comprehensive volume on a single topic ever published by ASM.
We believe that our readers will find this Handbook useful, instructive, and enlightening. These pages cover every aspect
of the subject: corrosion theory, forms of corrosion, testing and evaluation, design considerations, protection methods,
and corrosion as it affects specific metals and alloys and specific industries. Our goal is to help you solve existing
corrosion problems--and to help you prevent problems in the future.
ASM INTERNATIONAL is indebted to Lawrence J. Korb, Co-chairman of the Handbook and the driving force behind
the project, and to Co-Chairman David L. Olson. Their task of planning and coordinating this volume has been a
yeoman's one, and they have been equal to it. Both Larry and Dave are Fellows of ASM and have served in leadership
roles within the Society for many years--Larry as a past Chairman of the Publications Council and the Handbook
Committee, and Dave as a past Chairman of the Joining Division Council and as a member of the Handbook Committee
since 1982. They epitomize the vast pool of talent and energy made available to the Sociey by its dedicated members,
without whom we could not survive. Thanks also go to the ASM Handbook Committee and to the ASM editorial staff for
their tireless efforts.
We are especially grateful to the nearly 500 authors and reviewers listed in the next several pages. Their generous
commitment of time and expertise, their willingness to share their years of experience and knowledge, to write and
rewrite, has made this Handbook a truly outstanding source of information.
• Raymond F. Decker
President
ASM INTERNATIONAL
• Edward L. Langer
Managing Director
ASM INTERNATIONAL
Preface
The cost of corrosion to U.S. industries and the American public is currently estimated at $170 billion per year. Although
corrosion is only nature's method of recycling, or of returning a metal to its lowest energy form, it is an insidious enemy
that destroys our cars, our plumbing, our buildings, our bridges, our engines, and our factories. Corrosion can often be
predictable, such as the uniform corrosion of steel ship hulls or tanks, or it can be totally unpredictable and catastrophic,
such as the hydrogen embrittlement or stress corrosion of critical structural members and pressure vessels in the aerospace
and chemical processing industries. While corrosion obeys well-known laws of electrochemistry and thermodynamics, the
many variables that influence the behavior of a metal in its environment can result in accelerated corrosion or failure in
one case and complete protection in another similar case. We can no longer think of materials and environments as
monolithic. It makes no sense to ask whether stainless steel is compatible with sulfuric acid. Rather, the question we must
ask is which alloy of stainless steel, with which microstructure, with which design detail, is compatible with which
sulfuric acid. What is the acid's temperature, concentration, pH, impurity level, types of trace species, degree of aeration,
flow velocity, etc.?
Avoiding detrimental corrosion requires the interdisciplinary approach of the designer, the metallurgist, and the chemist.
Sooner or later, nearly everyone in these fields will be faced with major corrosion issues. It is necessary to learn to
recognize the forms of corrosion and the parameters that must be controlled to avoid or mitigate corrosion. This
Handbook was written with these three engineering disciplines in mind. We have attempted to put together a reference
book that is well rounded and complete in its coverage--for we want this to be the first book you select when researching
a corrosion problem. Each article is indexed to other appropriate sections of the Handbook, and each provides a road map
to the thousands of individual bibliographical references that were used to compile the information.
The Handbook is organized into eight major Sections. The first is a Glossary of metallurgical and corrosion terms used
throughout the Volume. Nearly 600 terms are defined, selected from more than 20 sources. Of course, one of the most
difficult terms to get corrosion experts to agree upon is a definition for "corrosion" itself, for where does one draw the
line? Is not the hydride, which precipitates in a stressed titanium weld, a form of corrosion just as the hydrogen
embrittlement of steel? And where does corrosion stop--with a metal, or is the environmental reaction of a ceramic or
polymer also a form of corrosion? In this Handbook we have limited our discussion of corrosion to metals, by and large,
but have included reactions with external environments which may diffuse inside a metal, leading to its destruction as an
"internal environment."
The second Section covers the theory of corrosion from the thermodynamic and kinetic points of view. It covers the
principles of electrochemistry, diffusion, and dissolution as they apply to aqueous corrosion and high-temperature
corrosion in salts, liquid metals, and gases. The effects of both metallurgical and environmental variables on corrosion in
aqueous solutions are discussed in detail.
The third Section describes the various forms of corrosion, how to recognize them, and the driving conditions or
parameters that influence each form of corrosion, for it is the control of these parameters which can minimize or eliminate
corrosion. For convenience, this Section is divided into articles on general corrosion, localized corrosion, metallurgically
influenced corrosion, mechanically assisted degradation, and environmentally induced cracking. More than 20 distinct
corrosion mechanisms are discussed.
mIn the fourth Section, methods of corrosion testing and evaluation in the laboratory as well as in-place corrosion
monitoring are discussed. For each major form of corrosion (pitting, stress-corrosion cracking, etc.), the existing
techniques used in their evaluation are discussed along with the advantages and limitations of each particular test and the
quality of the test data generated.
The fifth Section looks at corrosion from the design standpoint. Which materials and design details minimize corrosion?
What are the corrosion problems with weldments and how can they be addressed? Finally, how do you place an economic
value on your selection of alternate materials or coatings?
The next Section reviews the various methods used for corrosion protection. These include surface conversion coatings,
anodizing, ceramic coatings, organic coatings, metallic coatings (both as barrier metals and as sacrificial coatings),
thermal spray coatings, CVD/PVD coatings, and other methods of surface modification. It also discusses the principles of
and the approaches to anodic and cathodic protection. Finally, the various types and uses of corrosion inhibitors are
thoroughly discussed.
The seventh Section covers the corrosion of 27 different metal systems, including all major structural alloy systems and
precious metals, and relates the latest information on such topics as powder metals, cemented carbides, amorphous
metals, metal matrix composites, hard chromium plating, brazing alloys, and clad metals. In many areas, complete articles
have been written where only a few paragraphs were available in existing corrosion texts. For each metal system, the
authors discuss the alloys available, the nature of the corrosion resistance film that forms on the metal, and the
mechanisms of corrosion, including the metallurgical factors or elements that inhibit or accelerate corrosion. Various
forms of corrosion are discussed as well as various environmental effects. The behavior of these metal systems in
atmospheres (rural, marine, industrial), in waters (fresh water and seawater), and in alkalies, acids, salts, organic
chemicals, and gases is discussed. Methods of corrosion protection most applicable to each metal system are reviewed.
The final Section of the Handbook is where all of this knowledge is put into practice. It vividly illustrates how far we've
come in understanding and combating corrosion and how far we have yet to go. The corrosion experiences of experts
from 20 major industries are covered in detail--from fossil fuels to nuclear power, from the chemical processing to the
marine industries, from prosthetic devices to the space shuttle, from pharmaceuticals to electronics, from petroleum
production and refining to heavy construction. The authors describe the corrosion problems they encounter, tell how they
solve them, and present illustrated case histories.
We think you will find this Handbook a broad-based approach to understanding corrosion, with sufficient data and
examples to solve many problems directly, and references to key literature for further research into highly complex
corrosion issues. There is no cookbook for corrosion avoidance! We hope this Volume with its road map of references
will lead you to a better understanding of your corrosion problems and assist you in their solutions.
This Handbook would not have been possible without the generous contributions of the nearly 500 leading corrosion
experts who donated their expertise as authors and reviewers. They represent many of the leading industries and
educational institutions in this country and abroad. The articles in this Handbook represent tremendous individual efforts.
We are also grateful to the Handbook staff at ASM INTERNATIONAL and for the extremely valuable contributions of
several technical societies and industrial associations, including the National Association of Corrosion Engineers, the
American Society for Testing and Materials, the Electric Power Research Institute, the Pulp and Paper Research Institute
of Canada, the Tin Research Institute, the Institute of Paper Chemistry, the American Hot Dip Galvanizers Association,
and the Lead Industries Association. In addition, we particularly appreciate the efforts of those who took responsibility for
coordinating authors and papers for many articles or entire Sections of this Volume: Dr. Miroslav Marek, Dr. Bruce
Craig, Dr.Steven Pohlman, Mr. Donald Sprowls, Mr. James Lackey, Dr. Herbert Townsend, Dr. Thomas Cape, Mr.
Kenneth Tator, Dr. Ralph Davison, Dr. Aziz Asphahani, Mr. R. Terrence Webster, Mr. Robert Charlton, Mr. James
Hanck, and Mr. Fred Meyer, Jr.
This has truly been a collective venture of the technical community. We thank those who willingly have shared their
knowledge with all of us.
• L.J. KorbCo-Chairman
• D.L. OlsonCo-Chairman
General Information
Officers and Trustees of ASM International (1986-1987)
• Raymond F. Decker President and Trustee University Science Partners, Inc.
• William G. Wood Vice President and Trustee Kolene Corporation
• John W. Pridgeon Immediate Past President and Trustee Chemtech Ltd.
• Frank J. Waldeck Treasurer Lindberg Corporation
• Trustees
• Stephen M. Copley University of Southern California
• Herbert S. Kalish Adamas Carbide Corporation
• William P. Koster Metcut Research Associates, Inc.
• Robert E. Luetje Kolene Corporation
• Gunvant N. Maniar Carpenter Technology Corporation
• Larry A. Morris Falconbridge Limited
• Richard K. Pitler Allegheny Ludlum Corporation (retired)
• C. Sheldon Roberts Consultant Materials and Processes
• Klaus M. Zwilsky National Materials Advisory Board National Academy of Sciences
• Edward L. Langer Managing Director
Members of the ASM Handbook Committee (1986-1987)
• Dennis D. Huffman (Chairman 1986-; Member 1983-) The Timken Company
• Roger J. Austin (1984-) Materials Engineering Consultant
• Peter Beardmore (1986-) Ford Motor Company
• Deane I. Biehler (1984-) Caterpillar Tractor Company
• Robert D. Caligiuri (1986-) SRI International
• Richard S. Cremisio (1986-) Rescorp International Inc.
• Thomas A. Freitag (1985-) The Aerospace Corporation
• Charles David Himmelblau (1985-) Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.
• John D. Hubbard (1984-) Hinderliter Heat Treating
• L.E. Roy Meade (1986-) Lockheed-Georgia Company
• Merrill L. Minges (1986-) Air Force Wright Aeronautical Laboratories
• David. V. Neff (1986-) Metaullics Systems
• David LeRoy Olson (1982-) Colorado School of Mines
• Paul E. Rempes (1986-) Champion Spark Plug Company
• Ronald J. Ries (1983-) The Timken Company
• E. Scala (1986-) Cortland Cable Company, Inc.
• David A. Thomas (1986-) Lehigh University
• Peter A. Tomblin (1985-) De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd.
• Leonard A. Weston (1982-) Lehigh Testing Laboratories, Inc.
Previous Chairmen of the ASM Handbook Committee
• R.S. Archer (1940-1942) (Member, 1937-1942)
• L.B. Case (1931-1933) (Member, 1927-1933)
• T.D. Cooper (1984-1986) (Member, 1981-1986)
• E.O. Dixon (1952-1954) (Member, 1947-1955)
• R.L. Dowdell (1938-1939) (Member, 1935-1939)
• J.P. Gill (1937) (Member, 1934-1937)
• J.D. Graham (1966-1968) (Member, 1961-1970)
• J.F. Harper (1923-1926) (Member, 1923-1926)
• C.H. Herty, Jr. (1934-1936) (Member, 1930-1936)
• J.B. Johnson (1948-1951) (Member, 1944-1951)
• L.J. Korb (1983) (Member, 1978-1983)
• R.W.E. Leiter (1962-1963) (Member, 1955-1958, 1960-1964)
• G.V. Luerssen (1943-1947) (Member, 1942-1947)
• G.N. Maniar (1979-1980) (Member, 1974-1980)
• J.L. McCall (1982) (Member, 1977-1982)
• W.J. Merten (1927-1930) (Member, 1923-1933)
• N.E. Promisel (1955-1961) (Member, 1954-1963)
• G.J. Shubat (1973-1975) (Member, 1966-1975
• W.A. Stadtler (1969-1972) (Member, 1962-1972)
• R. Ward (1976-1978) (Member, 1972-1978)
• M.G.H. Wells (1981) (Member, 1976-1981)
• D.J. Wright (1964-1965) (Member, 1959-1967)
Staff
ASM International staff who contributed to the development of the Volume included Joseph R. Davis, Senior Editor;
James D. Destefani, Technical Editor; Heather J. Frissell, Editorial Supervisor; George M. Crankovic, Assistant Editor;
Diane M. Jenkins, Word Processing Specialist; Robert L. Stedfeld, Director of Reference Publications; Kathleen M.
Mills, Manager of Editorial Operations; with editorial assistance from J. Harold Johnson, Robert T. Kiepura, and Dorene
A. Humphries
Conversion to Electronic Files
ASM Handbook, Volume 13, Corrosion, was converted to electronic files in 1997. The conversion was based on the
Fourth Printing (December 1992). No substantive changes were made to the content of the Volume, but some minor
corrections and clarifications were made as needed.
ASM International staff who contributed to the conversion of the Volume included Sally Fahrenholz-Mann, Bonnie
Sanders, Scott Henry, Grace Davidson, Randall Boring, Robert Braddock, Kathleen Dragolich, and Audra Scott. The
electronic version was prepared under the direction of William W. Scott, Jr., Technical Director, and Michael J.
DeHaemer, Managing Director.
Copyright Information (for Print Volume)
Copyright © 1987 by ASM International
All Rights Reserved.
ASM Handbook is a collective effort involving thousands of technical specialists. It brings together in one book a wealth
of information from world-wide sources to help scientists, engineers, and technicians solve current and long-range
problems.
Great care is taken in the compilation and production of this Volume, but it should be made clear that no warranties,
express or implied, are given in connection with the accuracy or completeness of this publication, and no responsibility
can be taken for any claims that may arise.
Nothing contained in the ASM Handbook shall be construed as a grant of any right of manufacture, sale, use, or
reproduction, in connection with any method, process, apparatus, product, composition, or system, whether or not covered
by letters patent, copyright, or trademark, and nothing contained in the ASM Handbook shall be construed as a defense
against any alleged infringement of letters patent, copyright, or trademark, or as a defense against liability for such
infringement.
Comments, criticisms, and suggestions are invited, and should be forwarded to ASM International.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data (for Print Volume)
ASM INTERNATIONAL
Metals Handbook.
Includes bibliographics and indexes.
Contents: v. 1. Properties and selection [etc.] v. 9 Metallography and microstructures [etc.] v. 13. Corrosion.
1. Metals--Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. ASM International. Handbook Committee. II. Title: ASM Handbook.
TA459.M43 1978 669 78-14934
ISBN 0-87170-007-7 (v.1)
SAN 204-7586
Printed in the United States of America
Introduction
Miroslav I. Marek, School of Materials Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
Introduction
PERHAPS THE MOST STRIKING FEATURE of corrosion is the immense variety of conditions under which it occurs
and the large number of forms in which it appears. Numerous handbooks of corrosion data have been compiled that list
the corrosion effects of specific material/environment combinations; still, the data cover only a small fraction of the
possible situations and only for specific values of, for example, the temperature and composition of the substances
involved. To prevent corrosion, to interpret corrosion phenomena, or to predict the outcome of a corrosion situation for
conditions other than those for which an exact description can be found, the engineer must be able to apply the knowledge
of corrosion fundamentals. These fundamentals include the mechanisms of the various forms of corrosion, applicable
thermodynamic conditions and kinetic laws, and the effects of the major variables. Even with all of the available
generalized knowledge of the principles, corrosion is in most cases a very complex process in which the interactions
among many different reactions, conditions, and synergistic effects must be carefully considered.
All corrosion processes show some common features. Thermodynamic principles can be applied to determine which
processes can occur and how strong the tendency is for the changes to take place. Kinetic laws then describe the rates of
the reactions. There are, however, substantial differences in the fundamentals of corrosion in such environments as
aqueous solutions, non-aqueous liquids, and gases that warrant a separate treatment in this Section.
Corrosion in Aqueous Solutions
Although atmospheric air is the most common environment, aqueous solutions, including natural waters, atmospheric
moisture, and rain, as well as man-made solutions, are the environments most frequently associated with corrosion
problems. Because of the ionic conductivity of the environment, corrosion is due to electrochemical reactions and is
strongly affected by such factors as the electrode potential and acidity of the solution. As described in the article
"Thermodynamics of Aqueous Corrosion," thermodynamic factors determine under what conditions the reactions are at
an electrochemical equilibrium and, if there is a departure from equilibrium, in what directions the reactions can proceed
and how strong the driving force is. The kinetic laws of the reactions are fundamentally related to the activation energies
of the electrode processes, mass transport, and basic properties of the metal/environment interface, such as the resistance
of the surface films (see the article "Kinetics of Aqueous Corrosion" in this volume).
The fundamental kinetics of aqueous corrosion have been thoroughly studied. The simultaneous occurrences of several
electrochemical reactions responsible for corrosion have been analyzed on the basis of the mixed potential theory, which
provides a general method of interpreting or predicting the corrosion potential and reaction rates. The actual corrosion
rates are then strongly affected by the environmental and metallurgical variables, as discussed in the articles "Effects of
Environmental Variables on Aqueous Corrosion" and "Effects of Metallurgical Variables on Aqueous Corrosion,"
respectively. Special conditions exist in natural order and some industrial systems where biological organisms are present
in the environment and attach themselves to the structure. Corrosion is expected by the presence of the organisms and the
biological films they produce, as well as the products of their metabolism, as described in the Appendix "Biological
Effects" to the aforementioned article on environmental variables.
Corrosion in Molten Salts and Liquid Metals
These are more narrow but important areas of corrosion in liquid environments. Both have been strongly associated with
the nuclear industry, for which much of the research has been performed, but there are numerous nonnuclear applications
as well. In molten-salt corrosion, described in the article "Fundamentals of High-Temperature Corrosion in Molten Salts,"
the mechanisms of deterioration are more varied than in aqueous corrosion, but there are many similarities and some
interesting parallels, such as the use of the E - pO2- diagrams similar to the E - pH (Pourbaix) diagrams in aqueous
corrosion. Preferential dissolution plays a stronger role in molten-salt corrosion than in aqueous corrosion. Corrosion
testing presents special problems and is much more involved than the familiar aqueous testing, usually requiring
expensive circulation loops and purification of the salts. Although the literature on molten-salt corrosion is substantial,
relatively few fundamental thermodynamic and kinetic data are available.
Liquid-metal corrosion, discussed in the article "Fundamentals of High-Temperature Corrosion in Liquid Metals," is of
great interest in the design of fast fission nuclear reactors as well as of future fusion reactors, but is also industrially
important in other areas, such as metal recovery, heat pipes, and various special cooling designs. Liquid-metal corrosion
differs fundamentally from aqueous and molten-salt corrosion in that the medium, except for impurities, is in a
nonionized state. The solubilities of the alloy components and their variation with temperature then play a dominant role
in the process, and preferential dissolution is a major form of degradation. Mass transfer is another frequent consequence
of the dissolution process. At the same time, the corrosion is strongly affected by the presence of nonmetallic impurities
in both the alloys and the liquid metals.
Corrosion in Gases
In gaseous corrosion, the environment is nonconductive, and the ionic processes are restricted to the surface of the metal
and the corrosion product layers (see the article "Fundamentals of Corrosion in Gases"). Because the reaction rates of
industrial metals with common gases are low at room temperature, gaseous corrosion, generically called oxidation, is
usually an industrial problem only at high temperatures when diffusion processes are dominant. Thermodynamic factors
play the usual role of determining the driving force for the reactions, and free energy-temperature diagrams are commonly
used to show the equilibria in simple systems, while equilibria in more complex environments as a function of
compositional variables can be examined by using isothermal stability diagrams.
In the mechanism and kinetics of oxidation, the oxide/metal volume ratio gives some guidance of the likelihood that a
protective film will be formed, but the major role belongs to conductivity and transport processes, which are strongly
affected by the impurities and defect structures of the compounds. Together with conditions of surface film stability, the
transport processes determine the reaction rates that are described in general form by the several kinetic rate laws, such as
linear, logarithmic, and parabolic.
The most obvious result of oxidation at high temperatures is the formation of oxide scale. The properties of the scales and
development of stresses determine whether the scale provides a continuous oxidation protection. In some cases of
oxidation of alloys, however, reactions occur within the metal structure in the form of internal oxidation. Like corrosion
in liquids, selective or preferential oxidation is frequently observed in alloys containing components of substantially
different thermodynamic stability.
Thermodynamics of Aqueous Corrosion
CORROSION OF METALS in aqueous environments is almost always electrochemical in nature. It occurs when two or
more electrochemical reactions take place on a metal surface. As a result, some of the elements of the metal or alloy
change from a metallic state into a nonmetallic state. The products of corrosion may be dissolved species or solid
corrosion products; in either case, the energy of the system is lowered as the metal converts to a lower-energy form.
Rusting of steel is the best known example of conversion of a metal (iron) into a nonmetallic corrosion product (rust). The
change in the energy of the system is the driving force for the corrosion process and is a subject of thermodynamics.
Thermodynamics examines and quantifies the tendency for corrosion and its partial processes to occur; it does not predict
if the changes actually will occur and at what rate. Thermodynamics can predict, however, under what conditions the
metal is stable and corrosion cannot occur.
The electrochemical reactions occur uniformly or nonuniformly on the surface of the metal, which is called an electrode.
The ionically conducting liquid is called an electrolyte. As a result of the reaction, the electrode/electrolyte interface
acquires a special structure, in which such factors as the separation of charges between electrons in the metal and ions in
the solution, interaction of ions with water molecules, adsorption of ions on the electrode, and diffusion of species all play
important roles. The structure of this so-called double layer at the electrified interface, as related to corrosion reactions,
will be described in the section "Electrode Processes" in this article.
One of the important features of the electrified interface between the electrode and the electrolyte is the appearance of a
potential difference across the double layer, which allows the definition of the electrode potential. The electrode potential
becomes one of the most important parameters in both the thermodynamics and the kinetics of corrosion. The
fundamentals will be discussed in the section "Electrode Potentials," and some examples of the calculations of the
potential from thermodynamic data are show in the section "Potential Versus pH (Pourbaix) Diagrams."
The electrode potentials are used in corrosion calculations and are measured both in the laboratory and in the field. In
actual measurements, standard reference electrodes are extensively used to provide fixed reference points on the scale of
relative potential values. The use of suitable reference electrodes and appropriate methods of measurement will be
discussed in the section "Potential Measurements With Reference Electrodes."
One of the most important steps in the science of electrochemical corrosion was the development of diagrams showing
thermodynamic conditions as a function of electrode potential and concentration of hydrogen ions. These potential versus
pH diagrams, often called Pourbaix diagrams, graphically express the thermodynamic relationships in metal/water
systems and show at a glance the regions of the thermodynamic stability of the various phases that can exist in the system.
Their construction and application in corrosion, as well as their limitations, will be discussed in the section "Potential
Versus pH (Pourbaix) Diagrams."
Thermodynamics of Aqueous Corrosion
Electrode Processes
Charles A. Natalie, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines
In the discussion of chemical reactions and valence, the topic of electrochemical reactions is usually treated as a special
case. Electrochemical reactions are usually discussed in terms of the change in valence that occurs between the reacting
elements, that is, oxidation and reduction. Oxidation and reduction are commonly defined as follows. Oxidation is the
removal of electrons from atoms or groups of atoms, resulting in an increase in valence, and reduction is the addition of
electrons to an atom or group of atoms, resulting in the decrease in valence (Ref 1).
Because electrochemical reactions or oxidation-reduction reactions can be represented in terms of an electrochemical cell
with oxidation reactions occurring at one electrode and reduction occurring at the other electrode, electrochemical
reactions are often further defined as cathodic reactions and anodic reactions. By definition, cathodic reactions are those
types of reactions that result in reduction, such as:
M(aq)2+ + 2e- → M(s) (Eq 1)
Anodic reactions are those types of reactions that result in oxidation, such as:
M(s) → M(aq)2+ + 2e- (Eq 2)
Because of the production of electrons during oxidation and the consumption of electrons during reduction, oxidation and
reduction are coupled events. If the ability to store large amounts of electrons does not exist, equivalent processes of
oxidation and reduction will occur together during the course of normal electrochemical reactions. The oxidized species
provide the electrons for the reduced species.
The example stated above, like many aqueous corrosion situations, involves the reaction of aqueous metal species at a
metal electrode surface. This metal/aqueous interface is complex, as is the mechanism by which the reactions take place
across the interface. Because the reduction-oxidation reactions involve species in the electrolyte reacting at or near the
metal interface, the electrode surface is charged relative to the solution, and the reactions are associated with specific
electrode potentials.
The charged interface results in an electric field that extends into the solution. This electric field has a dramatic effect on
the solution near the metal.
A solution that contains water as the primary solvent is affected by an electrical field because of its structure. The primary
solvent--water--is polar and can be visualized as dipolar molecules that have a positive side (hydrogen atoms) and a
negative side (oxygen atoms). In the electric field caused by the charged interface, the water molecules act as small
dipoles and align themselves in the direction of the electric field.
Ions that are present in the solution are also charged because of the loss or gain of electrons. The positive charged ions
(cations) and negative charged ions (anions) also have an electric field associated with them. The solvent (water)
molecules act as small dipoles; therefore, they are also attracted to the charged ions and align themselves in the electric
field established by the charge of the ion. Because the electric field is strongest close to the ion, some water molecules
reside very close to an ionic species in solution. The attraction is great enough that these water molecules travel with the
ion as it moves through the solvent. The tightly bound water molecules are referred to as the primary water sheath of the
ion. The electric field is weaker at distances outside the primary water sheath, but it still disturbs the polar water
molecules as the ion passes through the solution. The water molecules that are disturbed as the ion passes, but do not
move with the ion, are usually referred to as the secondary water sheath. Figure 1 shows a representation of the primary
and secondary solvent molecules for a cation in water. Because of their smaller size relative to anions, cations have a
stronger electric field close to the ion, and more water molecules are associated in their primary water sheath. However,
anodic species have few, if any, primary water molecules. A detailed description of the hydration of ions in solution is
given in Ref 2.
Fig. 1 Schematic of the primary and secondary solvent molecules for a cation in water
Because of the potential and charge established at the metal/aqueous interface of an electrode, ions and polar water
molecules are also attracted to the interface because of the strong electric field close to the interface. Water molecules
form a first row at the metal/aqueous interface. This row of water molecules limits the distance that hydrated ions can
approach the interface. Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of a charged interface and the locations of cations at the
surface. Also, the primary water molecules associated with the ionic species limit the distance the ions can approach. For
example, the plane of positive charge of the cations that reside near the surface of a negatively charged interface is a fixed
distance from the metal due to the water molecules that are between the surface and the ions. This plane of charge is
referred to as the Outer-Heimholz Plane (OHP).
Fig. 2 Schematic of a charged interface and the locations of cations at the electrode surface
Because of the structure of the charged interface described above, it is often represented (Ref 2) as a charged capacitor
(Fig. 3). The potential drop across the interface is also often simplified as a linear change in potential from the metal
surface to the OHP.
Fig. 3 Simplified double layer at a metal aqueous interface
The significance of the electronic double layer is that it provides a barrier to the transfer of electrons. If there were no
difficulty in the transfer of electrons across the interface, the only resistance to electron flow would be the diffusion of
aqueous species to and from the electrode. The surface would be nonpolarizable, and the potential would not be changed
until the solution was deficient in electron acceptors and/or donors.
This is of particular interest when dealing with the kinetics at the interface (see the article "Kinetics of Aqueous
Corrosion" in this Volume). The double layer results in an energy barrier that must be overcome. Thus, reactions at the
interface are often dominated by activated processes, and activation polarization plays a significant role in corrosion. The
key to controlling corrosion usually consists of minimizing the kinetics; this slows the reaction rates sufficiently that
corrosion appears to be stopped.
Copyright by webtailieu.net