EXPERIMENT NO.

6: CORROSION

ABSTRACT
This experiment aimed to study the effects of various external chemical factors
on the corrosion of two different metals, iron and copper. In the first part of the
experiment, iron filings were subjected to different liquids with varying properties, and
the amounts of rust and other materials produced were observed and compared. This
implied that water and oxygen are the main agents of corrosion in iron, although some
changes to the environment may either increase or decrease corrosion rate, such as
the addition of hygroscopic salts and substitution with dehydration agents like calcium
chloride. In the second part, 5-centavo coins, which are composed of copper-plated
steel, are submerged in a solution of vinegar and table salt. This enabled the acetic
acid to react with the copper, producing copper oxide. Exposure to water also partly
affected the reaction, thus leading to the conclusion that these environmental changes
also occur to copper, and possibly other metallic elements.

Jadaone, Camille Precious P., Baluyot, Russel A., Casa, Jelyn Marie V., Colambot, James Walter,
Ferrer, Arlene G., Mandap, Deceryl S., Navarres, Jun Ray M., Riego, Shin Andrei R., Ros, Angelo
Luis, Tiangco, Paolo Q., Zalun, Trisha Anne M. Group 04, 1:30-4:30PM Tuesdays, CEA420,
BSCE 1-3, Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Polytechnic University of
the Philippines. To be presented on August 21, 2018 at CEA420, College of Engineering,
Polytechnic University of the Philippines during the discussion on Experiments on Materials and
Molecules.

Introduction
Corrosion is the chemical process by which a material degrades inadvertently due to certain
environmental factors. In metals, any environment may cause corrosion to a particular extent, since
metals are more stable in their corroded state (UNSW-School of Materials Science and
Engineering, n.d.). To be more specific, corrosion increases in settings where they are chemically
unstable, as inclined by several factors such as pH of solution, temperature, concentration of
neutral salts, influence of certain materials acting either as inhibitors or stimulants in the corrosion
process, and if possible, the rate of movement of the solution (Akimov, 1959).
Apart from these factors, corrosion is also influenced by reactions with moisture and
oxygen gas, thus forming metallic oxides. This phenomenon may pose certain negative effects in
such aspects as human health and industries. The weakening of the surface of metallic structures
decreases the efficiency of said structures, leading to financial losses. Damages brought about by
corrosion may also result to environmental pollution (Effects of Corrosion, n.d.).
In this experiment, the researchers investigate how the aforementioned factors impact the
corrosion of a certain metal; in this case, iron and copper-plated steel in 5-centavo coins are
subjected to the process. The experiment aims to study the causes and effects of these factors and
their everyday applications.

Methodology
a. Reagents
The reagents utilized for the experiment are salt, distilled water, cooking oil,
anhydrous calcium chloride, hydrochloric acid, iron filings, and two 5-centavo coins. All
of these were provided by the researchers themselves, except for the iron filings and
chemical reagents, which were provided by the College of Engineering of the Polytechnic
University of the Philippines.

b. Equipment and Apparatus

The equipment and apparatus used in the research are as follows: a 250 mL beaker,
a watch glass, seven test tubes, a dropper, a triple beam balance, and a hot plate.

c. Personal Protective Equipment

To ensure safety and eradicate potential hazards that may arise during the
experimentation, laboratory gowns, safety glasses, face mask and disposable latex gloves
were used by the researchers.

d. Experimental Procedure
Prior to experimentation, the researchers boiled a small portion of water in a beaker
placed on a hot plate. All seven test tubes are labeled from A to G. Test tubes A to E were
filled with 1 gram of iron filings each. The researchers then added room-temperature water
to test tube A, boiled water to B, salt-water solution to C, anhydrous calcium chloride
(CaCl) to D, and hydrochloric acid (HCl) to E. After three days, the changes in the iron
filings in each test tube, except test tube E which was observed during experimentation,
were observed.
In the second part of the experiment, the two remaining test tubes, F and G, were
filled with a solution of 75 mL of vinegar and 5 grams of salt. A 5-centavo coin was placed
on each test tube. After about 30 minutes, the coin in test tube F was rinsed with water and
dried, while the coin in G was only dried directly from the solution. Observations were
made, including comparison of the two submerged coins from an ordinary 5-centavo coin.

Results and Discussion

This section covers the results of the conducted experiment based on the observations and
analyses of the researchers.

A. Reaction of iron filings to water and other chemicals (A to E)

In test tube A, a thick layer of rust (hydrated ferric oxide/Fe2O3) accumulated on top of the
layer of iron filings in the test tube, but not all of the iron was oxidized. This may imply that only
a small percentage of iron was exposed to water, which is an agent of corrosion.
 Although boiled water has a higher temperature than the water in test tube A, the iron in
test tube B did not rust as much as that in A. Naturally, corrosion accelerates as temperature
increases (Capital Painting, 2013), but in this case, test tube B could not retain the original
temperature of boiled water, which may have affected the results. Another factor would be the
layer of oil above the boiled water, which blocks oxygen gas from entering the set-up.
The iron in test tube C, the one with the salt-water solution, had the most amount of
accumulated rust after three days. Chemical salts such as sodium chloride are also known to
increase the rate of corrosion in metals due to its hygroscopic property, or its ability to absorb
moisture from its surroundings (Capital Painting, 2013).
In test tube D, the iron filings seemed to be unaffected by the calcium chloride. This is
because calcium chloride is a dehydrating agent, meaning it absorbs water vapor from the air
surrounding the set-up; the iron does not get exposed to water nor oxygen, thus hindering
oxidation.
The iron filings in test tube E reacted instantly to the hydrochloric acid, immediately
producing bubbles of hydrogen gas and, after three days, a layer of iron (II) chloride. The reaction
is equated as follows:

Fe (s) + 2HCl (aq) → FeCl2 (aq) + H2 (g)

B. Reaction of copper-plated steel to salt-vinegar solution (F and G)

After both 5-centavo coins were submerged in salt-vinegar solution for 30 minutes, the
researchers noticed that the coin in test tube F became lighter in color than that in G. An ordinary
5-centavo coin may tarnish over time, but the copper plating in both coins underwent corrosion,
thus disintegrating the tarnished copper and making the coins shiny and new.
The coin in test tube F, the one rinsed in water, turned into a much brighter color due to
reactions with the solution. However, after a few minutes, it formed copper oxide due to exposure
to oxygen in water and oxygen gas in the surrounding air.
On the other hand, the coin in test tube G, which was immediately dried after being
submerged in the solution, produced the same result as that in test tube F, except that it retained
its luster even after a few minutes.

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

The experiment shows the reactions of two different metals, iron and copper, to different
agents of corrosion. Based on the results of the experimental procedure, corrosion in metals tends
to be a result of several external factors. Such factors investigated were hydration, exposure to
oxygen, temperature of corrosive solution, type of solution, pH of solution, and the presence of
hygroscopic salts.
 The most common among these factors is the metal’s exposure to oxygen, either through
hydration or submersion in water, or exposure to oxygen gas in the atmosphere. This was seen
when iron filings were submerged in water and a 5-centavo coined was rinsed after being immersed
in vinegar-salt solution. On the other hand, iron in an environment with water but little to no
oxygen did not corrode as much.
The researchers conclude that aside from corrosion being a natural property of metals, it is
also affected by various external phenomena. The researchers would recommend conducting
further experimentation using various metals other than iron and copper, to test how each of the
said factors differ per metal.

Acknowledgements
First and foremost, the researchers would like to give thanks to our Almighty Father, our
Creator, for the gift of life and the opportunity to undertake everything He laid down for us.
Secondly, sincerest gratitude goes to the parents, families, and friends of the researchers for their
unwavering support in terms of moral uplifting and finances, which enabled the researchers to
successfully accomplish this project.
The researchers would also like to thank Engr. Florence Joie F. Lacsa, LPT, MS for her
patient guidance and encouragement before, during, and after experimentation. Her direction and
leadership was a big help to the realization of this research.
Lastly, the researchers would also like to extend their appreciation to Engr. Zenaida
Agcaoili, MA for her willingness to provide the facilities, equipment, chemicals, and other
materials that were necessary for the conduction of the experiment.

References
What is Corrosion? (n.d.). UNSW-School of Materials Science and Engineering. Retrieved from
http://www.materials.unsw.edu.au/tutorials/online-tutorials/1-what-corrosion
Akimov, G. V. (1959). Factors Influencing Corrosion [Abstract]. Corrosion, 15(9), 23-36.
Retrieved September 8, 2018, from http://corrosionjournal.org/doi/10.5006/0010-9312-15.9.23
Effects of Corrosion. (n.d.). Retrieved September 8, 2018, from
https://chemistry.tutorvista.com/physical-chemistry/effects-of-corrosion.html
Factors that Affect the Rate of Corrosion-. (2013, May 18). Retrieved September 10, 2018, from
http://www.capital-painting.com/factors-that-affect-the-rate-of-corrosion/
Hydrochloric Acid and Iron. (n.d.). Retrieved September 10, 2018, from
http://www.nhehs.org.uk/chemistry/_Hydrochloric_acid_Iron.html
Lacsa, F.J. (2018). Corrosion [Class Handout]. Department of Civil Engineering, Polytechnic
University of the Philippines.