200: PROPERTIES OF MATTER

OXIDATION & RUSTING

•Oxidation: A process in which a substance gains oxygen
The loss of electron(s) or the increase in the oxidation
state of the element.
•It is the interaction between oxygen molecules and all the different
substances they may contact, from metal to living tissue.
• When it involves oxygen, the process of oxidation depends on the
amount of oxygen present in the air and the nature of the material
it touches.
•Example of oxidation: Rusting.
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 CORROSION
•Corrosion: The electrochemical process in which a metal reacts with
its environment to form an oxide or other compound.
•Corrosion occurs in the presence of moisture (air and water).
•Examples:
When iron is exposed to moist air, it reacts with oxygen to form
rust (iron oxide).

Volcanic gases have sped the

corrosion of this abandoned mining Pipeline corrosion
2 machinery.
 When aluminium corrodes, it
forms a thin layer of aluminium
oxide over the surface of the
metal.

When copper corrodes, it

produces the green colour known
as patina. The Statue of
Liberty gets its
green colour from
the natural patina
A bronze coin of formed on its
Han Dynasty with copper surface.
green patina

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 CONDITIONS FOR CORROSION

1) Anode: The oxidation reaction occurs. Current discharge into the environment and
metal loss are associated with this reaction.
2) Cathode: The reduction reaction occurs. Current acceptance and metal protection are
associated with this reaction.
3) Electrolyte: The environment to which both the cathode and anode are exposed. The
electrolyte must have the capacity to conduct electrical current through the flow of
ions.
4) Metallic path: The anode and the cathode must be connected via a metallic connection
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that conducts electrical current flow through the flow of ions.
 PROCESS OF CORROSION

•It is an electrochemical process.

•The metal is corroded at the anode.
•The cathode (same metal or different metal from the anode) forms the other
electrode in the cell and is not consumed in the corrosion process.
•At the anode, the corroding metal passes into the electrolyte as positively
charged ions, releasing electrons which participate in the cathodic reaction.
•Hence, the corrosion current between the anode and the cathode consist of
5electrons flowing within the metal and ions flowing within the electrolyte.
 RUSTING
•Rusting: It is the process of iron (molecule) oxidizing into iron
oxide, or rust.
•It is a type of corrosion specifically for iron and steel ONLY.
•It is a redox reaction and the end product for rusting is IRON
OXIDE (rust).
•Iron can only rust if both oxygen and water are present.

Steel Screw Heavy rust on Golden

6
Gate Bridge chain
 PROCESS OF RUSTING

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 PROCESS OF RUSTING
Conditions:
•Presence of water (H2O)& air (O2)n

Anode Cathode
(Negative Terminal) (Positive Terminal)
Region of low O2(g) Region of high O2(g)
There is an electron transfer
from the anode to the
cathode. •H2O & O2 are reduced
•Fe(s) react with H2O to hydroxide ion, OH-(aq).
to form Fe2+(aq)  A • Fe2+(aq) ion & OH-(aq) ion
solution. react to form iron (II)
•Fe(s) loses 2 electrons hydroxide.
and oxidises into iron •Reduction occurs.
(II) ion, Fe2+(aq). •Further, iron (II)
Fe(s)  Fe2+(aq) + 2e- hydroxide react with air,
•Oxidation occurs. O2(g) to form a brown
substance called iron
(III) oxide (rust).
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 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN RUSTING & CORROSION
CORROSION RUSTING
•Can occurs on any metals. •ONLY occurs in IRON or STEEL.
•Produces any oxide or other •Produces ONLY IRON OXIDE
compound. COMPOUND.

FACTORS INVOLVED IN RUSTING

1) Air (Oxygen gas).

2) Water.
3) Iron.

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 DAMAGE CAUSED BY RUST
•Rust causes extensive damage by deterioration, failure or
weakening of components or appliances.
•Rust is harmful to cars. As the car body stained, the rust will
spreads to other parts of the car body if exposed to extreme
moisture in the weather.
•Electrical appliances and instruments may fail if the metallic parts
are rusted since rust is a non-conductor of electricity.

Rust formed on car body Rusted metal parts

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 DAMAGE CAUSED BY RUST
•Machines and equipment that use magnets may malfunction due
to the inferior magnetic properties.
•Rust formation increases the volume of
the initial iron mass, adjacent rusted parts Rusted machine gears

may be forced apart, causing failure of machines and assemblies.

•Rusting in iron in reinforced concrete bridges maybe a source of a
serious structural problem that may be extremely dangerous, and
also huge expenditures for repairs.
The collapsed of Silver
Bridge in West Virginia

The collapsed of Kinzua

11 Bridge in Pennsylvannia
 PREVENTIVE TREATMENTS
•Painting:
This is the usual method of preventing rusting in ships, vehicles and
bridges. Paint covers the iron (steel), but if the paint is scratch, then
rusting starts.
Flaking paint, exposing a
patch of surface rust on
sheet-metal
•Oiling or greasing:
The moving parts of machines cannot be protected by paint which
would get scratched off. Instead, they are oiled or greased. This also
helps to lubricate the moving parts.

Greased shafts and gears

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 PREVENTIVE TREATMENTS
•Alloying:
Iron and steel can be mixed with other metals to form alloys which
do not rust. E.g. Stainless steel used in cutlery, tools and other
expensive equipment which might rust easily.

Stainless steel tools

•Coating (plating) with more reactive metal:
Galvanizing - Zinc (more reactive than iron) is often used to coat
steel dustbins and gates. Chromium (slightly more reactive than iron)
is used to coat kettle and tap.

Galvanized bins
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