BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT SASHWATH. J__

HAS SUCCESSFULLY CARRIED OUT THE

PROJECT TITLED RUSTING OF IRON

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF HIS

INVESTIGATORY PROJECT IN CHEMISTRY DURING

THE YEAR 2023-2024

INTERNAL EXAMINER EXTERNAL EXAMINER PRINCIPAL

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to acknowledge all the kind hearts
that have featured this project alongside with me.

First, I would like to thank my parents who have

fed me with immense knowledge. I would also be
grateful to My Principal & Chemistry teacher
who has been keen in my development and my
friends who have encouraged me thought.

Finally, I thank the lord almighty for having

giving a wonderful surrounding and the
opportunity to gain more knowledge.

INTRODUCTION
What is rust?
Iron is one of the widely distributed elements in the nature. One of its
striking characteristics is that it undergoes rusting on combining with water,
air & carbon-dioxide due to which its surface gets covered with a red
brown flake coating called "RUST". RUST is affected by moisture, oxygen &
carbon – dioxide.

 Rust is an iron oxide, a usually reddish-brown oxide formed by the reaction

of iron and oxygen in the catalytic presence of water or air moisture. Rust
consists of hydrous iron(III) oxides (Fe2O3·nH2O) and iron(III) oxide-
hydroxide (FeO(OH), Fe(OH)3), and is typically associated with
the corrosion of refined iron.

 Rust is soft and porous and it gradually falls off from the surface of
iron material. It is a continuous process and it gradually eats up iron
due to which an iron object loses its strength. It is very wasteful
process and should be prevented. It is very-very slow process.

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 FACTORS AFFECTING RUSTING OF
IRON
The exposure of iron (or an alloy of iron) to oxygen in the presence of
moisture leads to the formation of rust. This reaction is not instantaneous, it
generally proceeds over a considerably large time frame. The oxygen atoms
bond with iron atoms, resulting in the formation of iron oxides. This weakens
the bonds between the iron atoms in the object/structure.
F Many factors speed up the rusting of iron, such as the moisture
content in the environment and the pH of the surrounding area. Some of
these factors are listed below.
Moisture: The corrosion of iron is limited to the availability of water in
the environment. Exposure to rains is the most common reason for

rusting.
Acid: if the pH of the environment surrounding the metal is low, the
rusting process is quickened. The rusting of iron speeds up when it is
exposed to rains. Higher pH inhibits the corrosion of iron.
Salt: Iron tends to rust faster in the sea, due to the presence of various
salts. Saltwater contains many ions that speed up the rusting process via
electrochemical reactions.

Impurity: Pure iron tends to rust more slowly when compared to iron
containing a mixture of metals.
 The size of the iron object can also affect the speed of the
rusting process. For example, a large iron object is likely to have small
deficiencies as a result of the smelting process. These deficiencies are a
platform for attacks on the metal from the environment.

PROCESS OF RUSTING OF IRON 2

The reaction of the rusting of iron involves an increase in the oxidation state
of iron, accompanied by a loss of electrons. Rust is mostly made up of two
different oxides of iron that vary in the oxidation state of the iron atom.
These oxides are:

 Iron(II) oxide or ferrous oxide. The oxidation state of iron in this

compound is +2 and its chemical formula is FeO.

 Iron(III) oxide or ferric oxide, where the iron atom exhibits an oxidation
state of +3. The chemical formula of this compound is Fe2O3.

 Oxygen is a very good oxidizing agent whereas iron is a reducing agent.

Therefore, the iron atom readily gives up electrons when exposed to
oxygen. The chemical reaction is given by:
Fe → Fe2+ + 2e–

 The oxidation state of iron is further increased by the oxygen atom when
water is present.
4Fe2+ + O2 → 4Fe3+ + 2O2-

Now, the following acid-base reactions occur between the iron cations and
the water molecules forming rust.
Fe2+ + 2H2O ⇌ Fe(OH)2 + 2H+
 The hydroxides of iron are also formed from the direct reaction between
the iron cations and hydroxide ions.
O2 + H2O + 4e– → 4OH–
Fe2+ + 2OH– → Fe(OH)2
Fe3+ + 3OH– → Fe(OH)3

 The resulting hydroxides of iron now undergo dehydration to yield the iron
oxides that constitute rust. This process involves many chemical reactions,
some of which are listed below.
Fe(OH)2⇌ FeO + H2O 3

4Fe(OH)2 + O2 + xH2O → 2Fe2O3.(x+4)H2O

Fe(OH)3 ⇌ FeO(OH) + H2O

2FeO(OH) ⇌ Fe2O3 + H2O

 One similarity between all the chemical reactions listed above is that all
of them are dependent on the presence of water and oxygen. Therefore,
the rusting of iron can be controlled by limiting the amount of oxygen
and water surrounding the metal.
 AN EXPERIMENT ON RUSTING OF
IRON 4

AIM:
To check formation of rust in different solutions.
PROCEDURE:
Gather four beakers or drinking glasses. Add 1 cup of tap water to the first,
1 cup of salt water to the second, 1 cup of a soap water at third, and 1
cup of vinegar to the last cup. Hypothesize what liquid will cause a nail to
rust first. Submerge one iron nail in each container and set the beakers or
glasses in a place they will not be disturbed. Observe the nails daily to
check for rust formation.

OBSERVATION:
The nail in the soap water won’t rust because if we consider the basic
elements in soap water, where soap is basic and iron is acidic, so no
reaction takes place. The nail in water forms rust within three weeks, and
the nail in the vinegar will rust approximately one week later. Whereas, in

salt water “Electrochemical corrosion” occurs, and the protective oxide film

does not therefore rust will build up more quickly and severely in salt water.

RESULT:
The experiment is done successfully and reactivity of iron nail in different
solutions is identified.

DISADVANTAGES OF RUSTING OF
IRON
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Rusting causes iron to become flaky and weak, degrading its strength,
appearance and permeability. Rusted iron does not hold the desirable
properties of iron. The rusting of iron can lead to damage to automobiles,
railings, grills, and many other iron structures.
The collapse of the Silver Bridge in 1967 and the Mianus River bridge in
1983 is attributed to the corrosion of the steel / iron components of the
bridge. Many buildings made up of reinforced concrete also undergo
structural failures over long periods of time due to rusting.
Rusted iron can be a breeding ground for bacteria that cause tetanus. Cuts
from these objects that pierce the skin can be dangerous.
Since rusting occurs at an accelerated rate in humid conditions, the insides
of water pipes and tanks are susceptible to it. This causes the pipes to
carry brown or black water containing an unsafe amount of iron oxides.
It causes many undesirable effects, such as:
 Weakens material due to prolonged action.
 Loss, contamination, and deterioration of the appearance of a material.
 Safety, health and environmental risks due to corrosion, especially in
manufacturing plants.
 Rust tends to vent in technical malfunctions in machines.

RUSTING OF EIFFEL TOWER

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Eiffel Tower is one of the most remarkable and renowned landmarks in the
world. Located at the Champ de Mars in Paris, France, this 324 meters
high wrought-iron tower was built for the Paris World’s Fair of 1889 to
commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution.

Since then, the tower has been painted every seven years to protect the
iron from rusting. It takes around 50 metric tons of three graded tones of
paint every 7 years to protect the 200,000 square meters of iron latticework
from rust. The application of an anticorrosion treatment lasts almost 18
months.

The paints applied to the Eiffel Tower are formulated specifically for this
purpose. The purity of the iron used in the construction of the Eiffel Tower
is the result of a process carried out in high-temperature furnaces. This
process allows the carbon content to be reduced to a very low percentage
and to eliminate almost all the sulfur, so the resulting iron is of high purity.
 OTHER FORMS OF RUST
Several forms of rust are distinguishable both visually and by spectroscopy, 7
and form under different circumstances. Other forms of rust include the result
of reactions between iron and chloride in an environment deprived of oxygen.
For Example:
Rebar used in underwater concrete pillars, which generates green rust.
Although rusting is generally a negative aspect of iron, a particular form of
rusting, known as stable rust, causes the object to have a thin coating of
rust over the top. If kept in low relative humidity, it makes the "stable" layer
protective to the iron below, but not to the extent of other oxides such as
aluminum oxide on aluminum.

PREVENTION OF RUSTING
8

 Alloy: The use of alloys, like stainless steel an alloy of iron and
chromium as its main components usally mixed with few other metals, is
one of the most common ways to prevent rust, or slow it down. Stainless
 steel isn’t suitable or economical for all applications, but it will work for
many.

 Oil coating: A coating of oil will help to prevent rust or slow it down,
since it inhibits moisture from reaching the iron in the metal. However, an
oily surface might be problematic for some tools or machines and poses
environmental and human health concerns.

 Dry Coating: Special rust preventative products dry with no residue and
form a protective barrier over metal parts and equipment. These are
effective for products in use, in shipping, storage and more.

 Painting over the Metal: A good quality paint will slow down rusting by
preventing moisture from reaching the metal. Metal primers enhance the
rust preventive ability of paint coatings.

 Proper storage: Store metal parts or products in a low-moisture area, or

inside a temperature and humidity-controlled environment to significantly
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 slow down rust. Use of desiccant drying agents in this storage are also
helpful.
 Galvanization: Galvanizing coats iron or steel in zinc to protect from rust.
Zinc corrodes at a much slower rate than iron or steel, so it’s highly
effective for slowing rust. Properly applied, galvanizing may protect from
atmospheric corrosion for 15 to 30 years or more .The most common method
is hot dip galvanizing, in which steel sections are submerged in a bath of
molten zinc.

Galvanizing protects from rust in a number of ways:

 With an additional sacrificial anode, iron that is galvanized would

remain normal and intact for much longer time providing stability and
sturdiness in large structures.

 It forms a barrier that prevents corrosive substances from reaching the

underlying steel or iron.

 Even if the coating is scratched, the exposed steel will still be

protected by the remaining zinc.

 The zinc surface reacts with the atmosphere to form a compact,

adherent patina that is insoluble in rainwater.
 10
 Bluing: Bluing involves applying an electrochemical conversion coating This
process creates a layer of magnetite over the metal, it oxidizes the
surface of the metal to protect it from rust. There are several different
techniques, and each one has its own particular uses. The most
commonly used are cold bluing and hot bluing The metal must be
regularly oiled to maintain rust resistance, and it will turn blue or black in

the process.

 Powder Coating: A layer of acrylic, vinyl, epoxy or other substances will

prevent moisture from reaching the metal, thereby preventing rust.

 VCI Packaging: Vapor Corrosion Inhibitors (VCI) are a type of chemical

compound that when infused into various packaging materials, protect
metals by emitting rust eradicating vapors into an enclosed air space to
prevent corrosion on a metal surface.
 
CONCLUSION
Rusting of Iron is a chemical change. Rust is formed when iron (or 11

an alloy of iron) is exposed to oxygen in the presence of moisture. This

reaction is not instantaneous; rather, it takes place over a long period of
time. Iron oxides are formed when oxygen atoms combine with iron atoms.
Rusting of iron refers to the formation of rust, a mixture of iron
oxides, on the surface of iron objects or structures. This rust is formed from
a redox reaction between oxygen and iron in an environment containing
water (such as air containing high levels of moisture). The rusting of iron is
characterized by the formation of a layer of a red, flaky substance that
easily crumbles into a powder.
It is the corrosion of iron which is the most widely used structural
metal. Most of it is used in making steel. The wide range of products made
from steel includes all types vehicles, machinery pipeline, bridges and
reinforcing rods and girders for construction purposes.
 It is due to electrochemical reaction, it requires the presence of air
i.e., oxygen and water. Like the electrochemical cell, electrons given up from
anode of an iron atom flow (through metal) to cathode and reduces the
oxygen being dissolved in the water layer to give OH-  

Therefore, rusting causes enormous economic problems and is reason

why extensive measures of rusting/corrosion protection have to be developed.
The best way to prevent rust is to prevent moisture from reaching the
metal, or by using a material that corrodes more slowly. Hence efficient rust
prevention methods must be implemented wherever rusting is undesired.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
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