Corrosion 1. It is nothing but deterioration of a substance due to its reaction with the environment.

Thus it is destruction of the metal due to unwanted reaction between the metal and the atmosphere. 2. As soon as metals are extracted from there ores, the metals become highly reactive and enter into reaction with the other elements in the surrounding it, this natural reactivity of metals gives rese to corrosion, and thereby metals again enter into combined states. 3. Metals show great affinity to oxygen present in the atmosphere, and forms their respective oxides. Any process causing destruction of any material is known as corrosion, metals being highly reactive are greatly affected by the action of factors responsible for corrosion.

Effects of corrosion 1. Metal looses its efficiency and many of its useful properties gets altered. 2. Maintenance cost and cost of material increases while production rate decreases. 3. The purity of products gets affected.

Types of corrosion Dry/chemical/atmospheric corrosion 1. It occurs by direct attack of gasses like O2, CO2, H2S ,halogens etc. on the surface of metals 2. The metal forms corresponding oxides, carbonates, sulphides, halides or sulphates. 3. The action of some organic or anhydrous inorganic or melt of metals also cause this type of corrosion. Corrosion due to oxygen leads to formation of oxides.

This type of corrosion occurs due to the attack to atmospheric oxygen on metal surface either at low or high temperatures forming metal oxide. Normally more active metals get corroded faster than less active metals for example alkali and alkali earth metals get oxidised even at low temperatures as compared to other less active metals. The extent of corrosion depends on the type of oxide film formed by the metals. The oxide film formed is further classified into three categories. 1. Stable oxide film- Porous ex iron oxide -non porous ex oxides of Al, Ni, Cr etc 2. Unstable oxide film- ex oxides of noble metals.

3. Volatile oxide film- ex oxides of molybdenum.

Stable oxide film Normally gets adhered to the underlying metal surface and hence provide a protective layer on the surface, thereby reducing the rate of further corrosion. But the extent of corrosion depends upon the type of stable film formed. Porous oxide layerIf oxide film formed on metal surface is porous in nature the rate of further corrosion is not reduced much. Metals like LI, Na, K or alkaline earth metals like C , Mg, etc forms oxides where t