Department of Materials Engineering

ENG1050 & MCD4220 Engineering Materials

Tutorial Week 7
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The standard EMF series

EMF series
metal
Au
Cu
Pb
Sn
Ni
Co
Cd
Fe
Cr
Zn
Al
Mg
Na
K

Vo

Reduction Reactions

+1.420 V
+0.340
- 0.126
- 0.136
Cu2+ + 2e- Cu (V0 = 0.340V)
- 0.250
- 0.277
- 0.403
- 0.440
- 0.744
- 0.763
- 1.662
- 2.262
- 2.714
- 2.924

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Electrode potentials: Standard EMF series

Connect Cu and Fe in a standard cell. What happens?
1. What is the voltage?
2. Label the anode/cathode
3. Which direction
do the electrons flow?
e-
Cu2+ + 2e- Cu Vo = 0.340V
Fe2+ + 2e- Fe Vo = -0.440V
CATHODE
ANODE Reverse Fe and add
Cu2+ + Fe Fe2+ + Cu Vo=0.78V
Cu

Fe
Cu2+
1M

Fe2+
1M

25C
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Galvanic Series
The Galvanic Series
Platinum
Gold
Graphite
Titanium
Silver
316 Stainless steel (passive)
304 stainless steel (passive)
Inconel (80Ni-13Cr-7Fe) (passive)
Nickel (passive)
Monel (70Ni-30Cu)
Copper-nickel alloys
Bronzes (Cu-Sn alloys)
Copper
Brasses (Cu-Zn alloys)
Inconel (active)
Nickel (active)
Tin
Lead
316 stainless steel (active)
304 stainless steel (active)
cast iron
iron and steel
aluminium alloys
cadmium
commercially pure aluminium
zinc
magnesium and magnesium alloys
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Metals within a bracket have similar

potentials: if combined galvanic
corrosion will be limited

Increasing inert
(cathodic)

Increasingly active
(anodic)

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Galvanic Corrosion
Q. A copper pipe is connected to a stainless steel pipe in
a hot water system and there is evidence of corrosion at
the junction. Provide an explanation.
Two possibilities:
1) If stainless steel is in its passive state, then copper will corrode
2) If stainless steel is in its active state, then the stainless steel
will corrode.

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Question
Would you expect iron to corrode in water of high purity ie.
lacking oxygen and metal ions?
Why or why not?
Answer:
No: needs other metal ions to complete the electrical circuit.
Also oxygen is needed for the reduction reaction ie. It
accepts the electrons given up by the metal
Fe + 1/2O2 + H2O Fe2+ + 2OH- Fe(OH)2
2Fe(OH)2 +1/2O2 + H2O 2Fe(OH)3
Dont memorise these equations
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Galvanic Corrosion
The following pairs of alloys are coupled in seawater
predict if corrosion is likely, and if so, identify the alloy that
will corrode:

Tin & Magnesium

Answer: magnesium will corrode

Zinc & low carbon steel

Answer: zinc will corrode

Brass (60Cu-40Zn) and Monel (70Ni-30Cu)

Answer: corrosion unlikely lie in the same bracket

Titanium and 304 stainless steel

Answer: stainless steel will corrode (both active and passive
states are below Ti

Cast Iron and stainless steel

Answer: cast iron will corrode (it is below both active and passive
states of stainless steel)
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Design
You are a materials engineer working for Airbus and
you must select a metallic alloy to be used as a rivet for
joining two aluminium sheets in the fuselage. In point
form, discuss three (3) design considerations that will
limit corrosion.
1) choose a metal alloy more inert to have a high ANODEto-CATHODE surface area ie your dont want the rivet
corroding!
2) electrically insulate using polymer spacer between the
two dissimilar metals
3) prevent water from entering in between the Al sheets

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Question

A Cu hot water pipe is exhibiting extensive corrosion in its

interior.
Describe a possible cause:

Crevice corrosion (crevice formed from a solid obstacle

in the pipe). Concentration gradients of O2 or other ions.

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Corrosion Fundamentals
Q. What kind of corrosion occurs with an oxygen-concentration cell?
A.

Localised anodic dissolution eg. under a bit of rust, or in a crevice

formed from overlapping pieces of metal.

Q. What is galvanic corrosion?

A.

Corrosion of a metal driven by electrical contact with a more noble

metal eg. steel in contact with copper

Q. Why doesnt chromium rust?

A.

The surface is passivated by an adherent oxide film (which is

very thin and transparent. It is self-repairing if scratched off.

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Chromium Plating
Q. What happens if you scratch the surface of the chrome
exposing the steel? Identify the Anode and Cathode and
show the direction of the electrons.
A: A galvanic cell will form with the steel being the anode.
Highly localised corrosion will occur.
chromium
ANODE:CATHODE is small.
cathode
H2O and O2

nickel

e-

copper

anode

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Provide an explanation for this!

Localised corrosion at flange of water pipe

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Crevice Corrosion

Low conc. O2

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List 7 Engineering Design Rules to Reduce Corrosion

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

When determining metal thickness for mechanical strength, allow for

thinning from corrosion
Weld rather than rivet containers to reduce crevice corrosion. Choose a rivet
more cathodic than the material.
Try and use galvanically similar materials. If bolting dissimilar metals
separate them with non-metallic gaskets and washers.
Avoid sharp corners in pipes to prevent erosion corrosion. Avoid areas of
high stress to reduce stress corrosion cracking.
Design tanks for easy drainage and cleaning
Design for easy removal of components expected to fail in service eg.
pumps
Design to avoid hot spots when heating systems are used.

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Mass loss from Corrosion

Q. If a sacrificial magnesium anode corrodes with an average current
of 0.80 A for 100 days, what is the mass loss in this time period.
Assume MW(Mg)=24.31g/mol and n=2 (Mg2+), F = 96500C mol-1
Answer:

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Exercise E17.11 Ashby: Use CES Software

Pipe work is required for a food pickling plant to carry
vinegar (a weak acid) at 100C from one vat to another. The
liquid is under pressure, requiring a material with a strength of
at least 100MPa, and for ease of installation it must be able to
be bent, requiring a ductility of at least 10%. Find the four
cheapest materials that meet the constraints summarised:
Function
Constraints

Objective
Free variable

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Pipework for hot acetic acid

Durability in weak acid = very good
Maximum operating temp >100C
Yield strength > 100 MPa
Elongation > 10%
Minimise material price
Choice of material

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Stainless steel would certainly be the best choice

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