CHAPTER 3:

FORMS OF CORROSION

Forms of Corrosion:

PREFACE

Corrosion occurs in several widely differing forms.

Classification is usually based on one of three factors:

Nature of
Corrodent

Corrosion
Classification
Mechanism
of Corrosion

Appearance
of the
Corroded
Material

Forms of Corrosion:

PREFACE
Nature of the corrodent:
Corrosion can be classified as
wet or dry.
A liquid or moisture is
necessary for the wet corrosion
Dry corrosion usually involves
reaction with high-temperature
gases.

Forms of Corrosion:

PREFACE
Mechanism of corrosion:
Involves either electrochemical or direct chemical
reactions.

Forms of Corrosion:

PREFACE
Appearance of the corroded metal:
Corrosion is either uniform and the metal
corrodes at the same rate over the entire surface,
or it is localized, in which case only small areas are
affected.

The Eight Forms Of Corrosion

UNIFORM

EROSION

STRESS
CORROSION
CRACKING

G A LVA N I C

CO R RO S I O N
FO R M S

SELECTIVE
LEACHNG

CREVICE

PITTING
INTERGRANULAR
Fontana, Mars G. & Greene, Norbert D., Corrosion Engineering, McGrawHill, New York, New York, 1967

Eight Forms of Corrosion

Source: http://corrosion-doctors.org/Localized/images/Introd1.gif

3.1

UNIFORM CORROSION

What is Uniform Corrosion?

Definition:
Uniform corrosion is a

corrosion attack with

almost constant

dissolution rates over the

Uniform corrosion of a mild steel coupon.

whole surface (According to

DIN 50900 Norm).

Source: http://www.gewater.com/handbook/cooling_water_systems/fig24-2.jsp

What is Uniform Corrosion?

Other Definition:
i.

a type of corrosion attack (deterioration) that is more or

less uniformly distributed over the entire exposed
surface of a metal
ii. uniform (or general) corrosion refers to the relatively
uniform reduction of thickness over the surface of a
corroding material.
iii. corrosion that proceeds at approximately the same rate
over the exposed metal surface.

Cast irons and steels corrode uniformly when exposed

to open atmospheres, soils and natural waters, leading
to the rusty appearance.

2.1 Uniform Corrosion

occurs over the majority of the surface of a
metal at a steady and often predictable rate.
Although it is unsightly its predictability
facilitates easy control, the most basic method
being to make the material thick enough to
function for the lifetime of the component.
Cause 30% of failures

Some facts on Uniform Corrosion

1. Uniform corrosion is the most commonly found form of
corrosion
2. Rust formed on low alloyed steel is a special form of
uniform corrosion
3. Uniform corrosion occurs mainly on very active metals
(low Reversible potential)

4. Noble metals (gold, platinum) are immune against

uniform corrosion
5. Chromium, Titanium, Nickel, Stainless Steel are protected
by a passive film

2.1 UNIFORM CORROSION

Another definition:
Uniform (or general)
corrosion refers to the
relatively uniform
reduction of thickness
over the surface of a
corroding material.

2.1 Uniform Corrosion

 Characteristics:
It is relatively easy to measure, predict and
design against this type of corrosion damage.
While uniform corrosion may represent only a
small fraction of industrial corrosion failures, the
total tonnage wasted is generally regarded as the
highest of all forms.
Uniform corrosion is usually controlled by
selecting suitable materials, protective coatings,
cathodic protection and corrosion inhibitors.
D.L. Graver (Ed.): Corrosion Data Survey-Metals Section, Sixth Edition, NACE International, Houston, 1985.

 Relatively easy to monitor uniform corrosion; generally the simplest

methods suffice (ER coupons, NDT techniques for thickness
measurements).
Much data has been published that can be used for design purposes and
estimating a "corrosion allowance".
In most practical cases, corrosive environments tend to differ from
"textbook" cases (even small differences can be very significant).
Furthermore, actual uniform corrosion rates tend to vary with time; this
variability is not accounted for by single "textbook values; therefore
corrosion monitoring is advisable.
Caution: Unexpected rapid uniform corrosion failures can occur if the
material's surface changes from the passive (low corrosion rate) to the
active (high corrosion rate) state. The resultant increase in uniform
corrosion rate is typically several orders of magnitude. This undesirable
transition can occur if the passive surface film is disrupted by mechanical
effects, flow rate changes, a chemical change in the environment etc. Realtime corrosion monitoring systems can detect such transitions.

 A steel coupon corroded (rusted)

uniformly over its entire surface after
immersion in oxygen aerated water

Same batch of coupons exposed to

deaerated water retained their metallic
appearance with no visible corrosion
(rust)
In natural environment, O2 is the primarily
cause of uniform corrosion of steels and
other metals and alloys.

2.1 Uniform Corrosion

TWO(2) types of uniform corrosion:
1. Uniform corrosion with laterally uniform active
dissolution rates
The whole surface experiences a similar removal of material
Reaction kinetics are easy to obtain

2. Uniform corrosion with laterally heterogeneous

reactions on the surface
This type of attack results in the formation of craters with no
sharp edges
Heterogeneous uniform corrosion is the result of local
difference in the corrosion condition due to materials
heterogeneities or a difference in the solution aggressivity

2.1 Uniform Corrosion:

Most Common Damages

Uniform corrosion is found for example in
water tubes, buildings (rebars), and bridges
This is the most often occurring corrosion damage
but also the less dangerous because it is
predictable

Damages are the result of:

wrong material choice
wrong dimensioning of a structure
insufficient protective coating

2.1

Uniform Corrosion

Uniform corrosion on low alloyed steel

2.1 Uniform Corrosion

Mechanism of Uniform Corrosion

Requirement for uniform corrosion:
Presence of a least a thin water layer (not visible in
the case of atmospheric corrosion) on the metallic
surface

Homogeneous uniform corrosion

Cathodic and anodic reaction occurs
simultaneously at the same location of the surface
an electron leaving the metallic surface is
consumed by the cathodic reduction at the same
place

2.1 Uniform Corrosion

Mechanism of Uniform Corrosion

Anodic metal dissolution
Me Me2+ + 2e Cathodic reduction
In acids pH < 4

2H+ + 2e- H2 (gas)

(H Type)

In neutral and alkaline solution pH >4

O2 + 2H2O + 4e- 4OH-

(O - Type)

2.1 Uniform Corrosion

Mechanism of Uniform Corrosion

Example: heterogeneous
uniform corrosion
In bulk solution with
convection, oxygen
concentration is
everywhere the same
(homogeneous reaction)

In stagnant solutions, the

oxygen concentration can
vary laterally

Example of an aeration cell

2.1 Uniform Corrosion

Mechanism of Uniform Corrosion

How to prevent uniform corrosion?

Use thicker materials for
corrosion allowance
Use paints or metallic coatings
such as plating, galvanizing or
anodizing
Use Corrosion inhibitors or
modifying the environment
Use Cathodic protection
(Sacrificial Anode or Impressed
Current ICCP) and Anodic
Protection

2.1 Uniform Corrosion

THE END

Coming up Galvanic Corrosion