Some Investigation on the Corrosion of Iron

Name of Student:                                                                Date performed:
Section:                                                                                Date submitted:
Group Number:

Exercise 12

SOME INVESTIGATIONS ON THE CORROSION OF IRON

1. Introduction

1. Principle
   Corrosion is the process in which the metal returns to its natural state (insert citation). This deterioration happens when the metal undergoes a spontaneous oxidation, most likely when in contact with oxygen. Through time this reaction occurs but this electrochemical process  is often accompanied by mechanical or physical stress.
   
   In iron, a metal alloy, the formation of rust develops with the reduction-oxidation  reaction. These are the redox half-reactions involved in rusting:
   (insert reaction)
   
   

1. Objectives

The objective of this exercise is to state the effects of the following factors in the corrosion of iron:

1. acidity and basicity of the solution in contact with the metal;
2. mechanical stress applied on the metal; and
3. contact with other metals.

1. Materials

1. Reagents

NaOH        KOH        Na3PO4        distilled H2O                agar                zinc strip
NaCl        KNO3        NaSCN        0.1M K3Fe(CN)6                nails                phenolphthalein
HCl        HNO3        H2SO4        ferrous sulfate solution        copper strip        litmus paper

1. Apparatus

test tubes                stirring rod                hot plate        iron ring
centrifuge tubes        400-mL beaker                iron stand
bunsen burner                250-mL beaker                wire gauze

1. Procedure

1. Reactions of Iron with various Aqueous Solutions

1. Preparation of Agar Medium

1. Reactions of Iron as affected by Mechanical Stress

1. Reactions Involving Metal Couples – Two Metals in Contact

1. Data/Observations

Table 12.1. The pH of different solutions on Set A, B, & C.

Table 12.2. Observations on the changes on the nails in the solutions.x