Corrosion Phenomena Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Corrosion Phenomena - Research Paper Example Thus, the definition notes that the process causes metals to exhibit natural tendencies of reverting back to native combined states as minerals such as carbonates, sulfides, and oxides. Akhtar, Arif and Quraishi cite platinum and gold as the only ones that naturally exist as metals and would therefore not be susceptible to corrosion in normal atmospheric conditions, as such referred to as noble metals. Even though the term could be applied when referring to concrete, plastic, and wood, it has found general application when referring to metal and particularly iron as steel.Metals would be susceptible to corrosion under different environmental conditions. For example, gold which exhibits resistance under atmospheric conditions would be corroded under ambient temperature and exposure to mercury. Iron, on the other hand, would gradually rust under atmospheric conditions but remains unaffected by mercury. Sivasankar documents the joint action of oxygen and moisture as constituting the nor mal atmospheric conditions. The scholar observes that steel in ice would not rust as water should be in liquid form for corrosion to occur. Common pollutants like dust particles, soot, and ammonium sulfate particles and acidic gases like sulfur dioxide propagate the corrosiveness of the environment. Cicek and Al-Numan cite other typical environments considered to be corrosive and include soils, alkalies, acids, hydrogen sulfide, fuel gases, ammonia, fresh, salt, distilled and marine water and oxides of nitrogen.