Several techniques for inhibiting corrosion are available. First, from eqn 25.

66 we see
that the rate of corrosion depends on the surfaces exposed: if either A or Ais zero,
then the corrosion current is zero. This interpretation points to a trivial, yet often
effective, method of slowing corrosion: cover the surface with some impermeable
layer, such as paint, which prevents access of damp air. Paint also increases the effective
solution resistance between the cathode and anode patches on the surface. Unfortunately,
this protection fails disastrously if the paint becomes porous. The oxygen
then has access to the exposed metal and corrosion continues beneath the paintwork.
Another form of surface coating is provided by galvanizing, the coating of an iron
object with zinc. Because the latters standard potential is 0.76 V, which is more
negative than that of the iron couple, the corrosion of zinc is thermodynamically
favoured and the iron survives (the zinc survives because it is protected by a hydrated
oxide layer). In contrast, tin plating leads to a very rapid corrosion of the iron once
its surface is scratched and the iron exposed because the tin couple (E 7 0.14 V)
oxidizes the iron couple (E 7 0.44 V). Some oxides are inert kinetically in the sense
that they adhere to the metal surface and form an impermeable layer over a fairly wide
pH range. This passivation, or kinetic protection, can be seen as a way of decreasing
the exchange currents by sealing the surface. Thus, aluminium is inert in air even
though its standard potential is strongly negative (1.66 V).
Another method of protection is to change the electric potential of the object by
pumping in electrons that can be used to satisfy the demands of the oxygen reduction
without involving the oxidation of the metal. In cathodic protection, the object is
connected to a metal with a more negative standard potential (such as magnesium,
2.36 V). The magnesium acts as a sacrificial anode, supplying its own electrons
to the iron and becoming oxidized to Mg2in the process (Fig. 25.51a). A block of
magnesium replaced occasionally is much cheaper than the ship, building, or pipeline
for which it is being sacrificed. In impressed-current cathodic protection (Fig. 25.51b)
an external cell supplies the electrons and eliminates the need for iron to transfer its own.

Beberapa teknik untuk menghambat korosi yang tersedia. Pertama, dari eqn 25,66 kita melihat

bahwa laju korosi tergantung pada permukaan terkena: jika A atau A' adalah nol, maka arus

korosi adalah nol. Penafsiran ini menunjuk ke sebuah sepele, namun sering

efektif, metode memperlambat korosi:

1. Menutupi permukaan dengan beberapa kedap lapisan, seperti cat, yang mencegah akses

dari udara lembab. Cat juga meningkatkan ketahanan solusi yang efektif antara katoda

dan anoda patch di permukaan. Sayangnya, perlindungan ini gagal malapetaka jika cat

menjadi berpori. oksigen kemudian memiliki akses ke logam terkena korosi dan terus

di bawah cat.

2. Galvanizing, lapisan dari sebuah objek besi dengan seng. Karena potensi standar yang

terakhir adalah -0,76 V, yang lebih negatif daripada pasangan besi, korosi seng adalah

termodinamika disukai dan besi bertahan (seng bertahan karena dilindungi oleh lapisan

oksida terhidrasi).
3. Timah plating mengarah ke korosi yang sangat cepat dari besi sekali permukaannya

tergores dan besi terkena karena pasangan timah (E = -0,14 V) mengoksidasi beberapa

besi (E = -0,44 V).

4. Metode lain perlindungan adalah untuk mengubah potensi listrik dari objek dengan

memompa di elektron yang dapat digunakan untuk memenuhi tuntutan reduksi oksigen

tanpa melibatkan oksidasi logam.

5. Perlindungan katodik, objek terhubung ke logam dengan potensi lebih negatif standar

(seperti magnesium, -2,36 V).

6. Magnesium bertindak sebagai anoda korban, memasok elektron sendiri untuk besi dan

menjadi teroksidasi menjadi Mg2+. Sebuah blok magnesium diganti kadang-kadang

jauh lebih murah daripada kapal, bangunan, atau pipa untuk yang dikorbankan.