Experiment No.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY: CORROSION

OBJECTIVES:

 Illustrate the principle and practical aspects of corrosion and corrosion prevention.

 Explain how “atmospheric corrosion” occurs, and how it results in the eating away of
metals.

 Identify the conditions for “chemical corrosion”.

 Describe the use of galvanic protection and impressed voltage for corrosion prevention.

MATERIALS:

 Cu and Zn strips

 3M HCl

 0.5M NaCl

 Sandpaper

 4” bright common nails (3 pcs.)

 50 mL(2), 400 mL beakers

 Phenolphtalein in dropper bottles

 25 mL graduated cylinder

 Distilled water

 Various electrical leads

 Plastic Pipets

 Digitial multimeter

 Triple beam balance

PROCEDURES:

Part 1: “Atmospheric Corrosion”

A.

1. Fill 400 mL beaker 1/2 full with deionized water and place it on a wight or light-colored
paper.

2. Place Cu and Zn electrodes in beaker (not touching).

3. Attach the voltmeter such that a (+) voltage is obtained and record the voltage and
identify which electrode is attached to the red and black wire.

4. Add phenophtalein indicator around each electrode, one at a time.

B.

1. Dispose of the previous solution in the beaker, clean off the electrodes, then rebuild cell
the same as above, but use NaCl solution in the beaker instead of water.

2. Attach the voltmeter to obtain a (+) voltage.

3. Add phenophtalein indicator around each electrode, one at a time.

4. Switch mulitmeter to current (mA) setting and record observation of color change.

5. Record current.

C.

1. Dispose of solution and clean off the electrodes.

2. Use the small beaker and fill it to a depth of 1/2 with NaCl solution.

3. Immerse two Zn strips in the solution on opposite sides of the container.

4. Attach the voltmeter to obtain a (+) voltage.

5. Use a plastic eyedropper or rubber pipet bulb and gently squeeze bubbles of air right next
to one of the Zn strips.

6. Slowly squeeze out air bubbles next to the other Zn strip.

Part 2: “Chemical Corrosion”

1. Add 25.0 mL of 3.0M HCl into a 50 mL beaker.

2. Set-up another beaker, full of DI water, right next to the beaker of HCl.

3. Take a 4” nail and sand the bottom half clean. Also sand the bottom half of a Zn(s) strip.

4. Wipe away all sanding residue, rinse in DI water and completely dry the metals with a
paper towel; then record initial mass of each, using triple beam balance.

5. Simultaneously immerse the two metals into HCl solution for 2 minutes.

6. Observe the sample and agitate periodically.

7. After 2.0 minutes have elapsed, remove both metals from the HCl beaker and swish them
around in the beaker of water to remove traces of acid and reaction products.

8. Remove the metals from the water beaker, rinse them with DI water, thoroughly dry
them and reweigh on the triple beam balance. Record final mass of each.

Part 3: “Galvanic Protection”

1. Discard used HCl solution.

2. Obtain a fresh 25.0 mL HCl sample, and a fresh beaker of water. This time you will see
what happens when the metals are connected electrically with a jumper wire.

3. Re-sand the metal strips: clean dry and reweigh them.

4. Record initial mass of each.

5. Use a jumper wire with alligator clips on each end to connect the unsanded parts of the
two metals.

6. Simultaneously immerse the two metals into the HCl solution, for 2.0 minutes.

7. Observe the sample and agitate periodically. After 2.0 minutes have elapsed.

8. Remove both metals from the HCl beaker and swish them around the beaker of water to
remove traces of acid and reaction products.

9. Remove the metal from the water beaker, rinse them with DI water, thoroughly dry them
and reweigh on the triple beam balance. Record final mass of each.

Part 4: “Impressed Voltage Protection”

1. Add 25.0 mL of 0.5 NaCl solution into a 50 mL beaker.

2. Prepare 2pcs of 4” nails by sanding the lower halves.

3. Mark each nail with a marker, #1 and #2.

4. Clean and dry the nails thoroughly and weigh them, record initial mass each.

5. Switch the power supply to the 3.0V setting. Use Jumper wires to attach #1 nail to the (+)
terminal and #2 nail to the (-) teminal of the power supply.

6. Immerse both nails simultaneously into the solution.

7. Turn on the power supply. Let it run for 2.0 min.

8. Turn off the power supply - leave nails undisturbed.

9. Add phenolphtalein to area around #2 nail, record color change.

RESULT

Part 1: “Atmospheric Corrosion”

A.

Red wire (Cathode)

Black Wire (Anode)

Voltage

Reduction

Oxidation
Why?

Color change around Zn?

Color Change around Cu?

B.

Voltage

Color change around Zn?

Color Change around Cu?

Color Change:

Current:

Compare:

Voltage to the pure water case

Current to the pure water case

Why?

C.

Voltage(v1)

V2:

V3:

What effect does that have on the cathodic reaction of atmospheric corrosion?

Zn where bubbles were/were not added

Part 2: “Chemical Corrosion”

Zn (initial)

Nail (initial)

Reaction
Bubbles at Zn? Identify the gas

Bubbles at nail? Identify the gas

More bubbles than the other? Which had more?

Why?

Zn (final)

Nail (final)

Part 3: “Galvanic Protection”

Zn (initial)

Nail (final)

Bubbles at Zn? Identify the gas

Bubbles at nail? Identify the gas

More bubbles than the other? Which had more?

Why?

Zn (final)

Nail (final)

Part 4: “Impressed Voltage Protection”

Nail #1 (initial)

Nail #2 (initial)

Bubbles at #1 nail? Identify the gas

Bubbles at #2 nail? Identify the gas

#1 nail

Identify the 1/2 reaction that produced species

After adding phenolphtalein( Color Change)

Identify the species in solution that produced the color change

Identify the 1/2 reaction that produced this species

Nail #1 (final)

Nail #2 (final)