12 Types of Corrosion With Pictures | Classification of Corrosion | Top 12 Types of Corrosion In Metal

Mike Mahajan
7 min readJul 25, 2022

--

12 Types of Corrosion With Pictures | Classification of Corrosion | Top 12 Types of Corrosion In Metal

What Is Corrosion?

Corrosion is the most common phenomenon that we observe in our daily lives, you must have noticed that some objects are made up of iron material and that material is covered with a reddish brown or orange color layer this formation of a layer occurs due to chemical or electrochemical process that is known as corrosion and also called a rusting of material.

The term corrosion is also applied to the degradation or deterioration of concrete, wood, and plastic, but mostly refers to metals. There are different types of corrosion seen in metal that cause major damage to assets.

The following are the Effect of Corrosion,

- Loss of material

- A rise in the maintenance cost

- Appearance loss

- Loss in safety and reliability

- Contamination of product

- Shutdown the plants

- Sometimes loss of precious minerals such as water, power, etc.

Types of Corrosion

The following different types of corrosion occur in Metal materials,

- Atmospheric Corrosion

- Erosion Corrosion

- Selective Corrosion

- Uniform Corrosion

- Pitting Corrosion

- Fretting Corrosion

- Stress Corrosion

- Inter-granular Corrosion

- Corrosion Fatigue

- Galvanic corrosion

- Waterline Corrosion

Read More: What Are Steel Piles | 4 Types of Steel Piles | Corrosion of Steel Piles Steel | Advantages and Disadvantages of Steel Piles Foundation

Here, we discussed above mention types of corrosion with pictures briefly,

1. Uniform Corrosion

12 Types of Corrosion With Pictures

Uniform Corrosion

Its name suggests uniform corrosion is formed in a uniform layer on the surface of metals and that is extended all over the surface of the metal and also this type of corrosion is mostly seen in metal materials such as zinc, lead, aluminum, etc, and it cannot be protected by surface coating treatment.

Also, the uniform coating is also known as general types of corrosion and these uniform corrosions have a relatively low impact on the performance of the material.

The uniform corrosion is prevented by some methods,

- Modify the environment

- Use anodizing

- Use corrosion inhibitors

- Use thicker material for allowance of corrosion

2. Inter-granular Corrosion

12 Types of Corrosion With Pictures

Inter-granular Corrosion

Intergranular corrosion occurs along the grain boundaries and grains are not affected in that case. It is caused when there is a noticeable difference in reactivity against impurities grains and grain boundaries also this difference occurs due to heat treatment, stainless steel, copper, and defective welding.

3. Stress Corrosion

12 Types of Corrosion With Pictures

Stress Corrosion

This stress corrosion occurs by the combination of mechanical stress and corrosive environment stress on the surface of the material, and initially, small cracks are developed lastly this crack leads to the failure of the whole structure, and the stress corrosion is unpredictable in nature. Also, you can call an “SCC” is abbreviated form of stress corrosion cracking.

In that case, when stainless steel is stressed in chloride environments at that time stress types of corrosions are occurred, and another side when brass materials are stressed in the ammonia at that time stress corrosions occur, and the caustic embattlement of mild steel and seasonal crack is the best example of stress cracking.

4. Pitting Corrosion

12 Types of Corrosion With Pictures

Pitting Corrosion

As the name suggests pitting corrosion is that form rust pits or holes on the metal surface, and it is a localized form of corrosion, in a small area shape of a rust pit may not be similar but in most case, corrosion is hemispherical in shape and also it is the very unpredictable and dangerous type of corrosion so that difficult to detect them.

Commonly this pitting corrosion occurs in aluminum, nickel alloys, steel and etc.

Read More: 10 Types of Concrete Anchors | Anchor Bolts For Concrete | 10 Best Anchors For Concrete | Concrete Anchor Types

5. Atmospheric Corrosion

12 Types of Corrosion With Pictures

Atmospheric Corrosion

Atmospheric corrosion is wet types of corrosion that is caused by the action of the electrolyte, in the rainy season atmosphere is damp at that time electrolytes trigger corrosion of the exposed metal surface.

6. Erosion Corrosion

12 Types of Corrosion With Pictures

Erosion Corrosion

Erosion Corrosion is caused by mechanical abrasion due to the movement between corrosive fluids and the metal surface, in that case, the metal surface gets damaged or deteriorated slowly by the abrasion of fast-moving fluids. Also, the erosion-corrosion has mostly seen in metal tubes carrying moving fluids in it.

7. Selective Corrosion

12 Types of Corrosion With Pictures

Selective Corrosion

Selective types of corrosion occurs in alloys where one of the metal components is de-alloyed by the corrosive environment, this type of corrosion can be seen in brass alloy pipes where zinc is commonly used as another component, and here zinc metal is de-alloy.

8. Fretting Corrosion

12 Types of Corrosion With Pictures

Fretting Corrosion

Fretting is a combined action of fretting as well as corrosion at points where two metal plates or surfaces make contact by means of gnawing action or rubbing action, fretting corrosion is sometimes known as chafing corrosion.

This fretting corrosion can be seen in rivet joints, clamped surfaces, bolted connections,s and rivet joints.

Fretting types of corrosion can be prevented by the following points:

- Use contact lubricant.

- Using seals for absorbing vibration.

- Increase the hardness of both material and one material.

- Also, reduce the movement between two materials.

- Using those materials which are susceptible to fretting corrosion.

9. Corrosion Fatigue

12 Types of Corrosion With Pictures

Corrosion Fatigue

Corrosion fatigue by defined as fatigue in a corrosive environment, and also the aggressive environment can be harmful to the fatigue life of a structure, and protection against corrosion is necessary.

The surface of a material can be loaded dynamically at that time corrosion fatigue can be a serious problem, and it can be prevented by improving the fatigue resistance material.

10. Corrosion Fatigue

12 Types of Corrosion With Pictures

Galvanic corrosion

This Galvanic corrosion occurs when different metals are exposed to a corrosive atmosphere, the metal which has a higher electrode potential value will form an anode and undergoes this types of corrosion.

11. Water line Corrosion

12 Types of Corrosion With Pictures

Waterline Corrosion

The oxygen concentration dissolved in water is greater at the surface than deep, this lead to the formation of a concentration cell, an anode has a lower portion, and the cathode is at water level.

Due to poor water conductivity, the ions below water level and available for reaction and the metal surface corrodes below the water level.

Read More:13 Types of Door Hinges | Types of Hinges Used For Door | Different Types Of Door Hinges | What Is A Butt Hinge

FAQs:

What do you mean by Corrosion?Corrosion is the most common phenomenon that we observe in our daily lives, you must have noticed that some objects are made up of iron material and that material is covered with a reddish brown or orange color layer this formation of a layer occurs due to chemical or electrochemical process that is known as corrosion and also called a rusting of material.What are the Types of Corrosion?1. Atmospheric Corrosion
2. Erosion Corrosion
3. Selective Corrosion
4. Uniform Corrosion
5. Pitting Corrosion
6. Fretting Corrosion
7. Stress Corrosion
8. Inter-granular Corrosion
9. Corrosion Fatigue
10. Galvanic corrosion
11. Waterline CorrosionWhat is Corrosion Fatigue?Corrosion fatigue by defined as fatigue in a corrosive environment, and also the aggressive environment can be harmful to the fatigue life of a structure, and protection against corrosion is necessary.

You May Also Like:

- What Are Steel Piles | 4 Types of Steel Piles | Corrosion of Steel Piles Steel | Advantages and Disadvantages of Steel Piles Foundation

- 10 Types of Concrete Anchors | Anchor Bolts For Concrete | 10 Best Anchors For Concrete | Concrete Anchor Types

- 13 Types of Door Hinges | Types of Hinges Used For Door | Different Types Of Door Hinges | What Is A Butt Hinge

- 30 Types of Clamps and Their Uses | 30 Different Types Clamps and Uses | Best Clamps For Home Uses

- What Is Rebar Sizes and Diameter | Rebar Sizes | Rebar Diameter | Rebar Size Chart | 3 Rebar Diamter | 4 Rebar Diameter | 5 Rebar Diameter | 6 Rebar Diameter

--

--

Mike Mahajan
Mike Mahajan

Written by Mike Mahajan

Bhushan Mahajan who himself is a Civil Engineer by profession is also the main author and maintains the civiconcepts.com website himself.

No responses yet