Cathodic reactions galvanically coupled electrode

A nonuniform distribution of the reactions may arise when the metal s surface is inhomogeneous, particularly when it contains inclusions of other metals. In many cases (e.g., zinc with iron inclusions), the polarization of hydrogen evolution is much lower at the inclusions than at the base metal hence, hydrogen evolution at the inclusions will be faster (Fig. 22.3). Accordingly, the rate of the coupled anodic reaction (dissolution of the base metal) will also be faster. The electrode s OCP will become more positive under these conditions. At such surfaces, the cathodic reaction is concentrated at the inclusions, while the anodic reaction occurs at the base metal. This mechanism is reminiscent of the operation of shorted galvanic couples with spatially separated reactions Metal dissolves from one electrode hydrogen evolves at the other. Hence, such inclusions have been named local cells or microcells. 

The conventional approach to corrosion is to start directly with the concept of a mixed electrode of indistinguishable distribution of sites for the anodic and cathodic reactions. The approach taken in this chapter is to first examine the behavior of distinguishable anodic and cathodic sites. This is the classical case of galvanic couples of joined dissimilar metals in contact with a common solution. In this case, local movement of a reference electrode through the solution can map the... 

When two metals or alloys are joined such that electron transfer can occur between them and they are placed in an electrolyte, the electrochemical system so produced is called a galvanic couple. Coupling causes the corrosion potentials and corrosion current densities to change, frequently significantly, from the values for the two metals in the uncoupled condition. The magnitude of the shift in these values depends on the electrode kinetics parameters, i0 and (3, of the cathodic and anodic reactions and the relative magnitude of the areas of the two metals. The effect also depends on the resistance of the electrochemical cir-... 

The concepts in Chapters 2 and 3 are used in Chapter 4 to discuss the corrosion of so-called active metals. Chapter 5 continues with application to active/passive type alloys. Initial emphasis in Chapter 4 is placed on how the coupling of cathodic and anodic reactions establishes a mixed electrode or surface of corrosion cells. Emphasis is placed on how the corrosion rate is established by the kinetic parameters associated with both the anodic and cathodic reactions and by the physical variables such as anode/cathode area ratios, surface films, and fluid velocity. Polarization curves are used extensively to show how these variables determine the corrosion current density and corrosion potential and, conversely, to show how electrochemical measurements can provide information on the nature of a given corroding system. Polarization curves are also used to illustrate how corrosion rates are influenced by inhibitors, galvanic coupling, and external currents. 

The galvanic couple potential is defined by the potential where the sum of the anodic currents equals the sum of the cathodic currents for all reactions on all of the metals in the couple. The galvanic couple potential can be determined either by direct measurement with a reference electrode or from polarization data if ... 

Now consider another galvanic couple consisting of the same iron half-cell connected to a metal zinc electrode that is immersed in a 1 M solution of Zn ions (Figure 17.3). In this case, the zinc is the anode and corrodes, whereas the Fe becomes the cathode. The electrochemical reaction is thus... 

In complete galvanic cells, electrochemical reactions occur simultaneously at the anode and cathode. Since the current is of equal strength at the two electrodes, the corresponding electrode reactions are interrelated, in that the number of electrons set free in unit time at the anode is equal to the number of electrons reacting during the same time at the cathode. Electrode reactions subject to such a condition are called coupled reactions. 

Let us now consider a galvanic cell with the redox couples of equation 8.164. This cell may be composed of a Cu electrode immersed in a one-molal solution of CUSO4 and a Zn electrode immersed in a one-molal solution of ZnS04 ( Dan-iell cell or Daniell element ). Equation 8.170 shows that the galvanic potential is positive the AG of the reaction is negative and the reaction proceeds toward the right. If we short-circuit the cell to annul the potential, we observe dissolution of the Zn electrode and deposition of metallic Cu at the opposite electrode. The flow of electrons is from left to right thus, the Zn electrode is the anode (metallic Zn is oxidized to Zn cf eq. 8.167), and the Cu electrode is the cathode (Cu ions are reduced to metallic Cu eq. 8.168) ... 

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