Corrosion Engineering

Catalog description

Industrial forms of corrosion and preventive methods, and their description in terms of basic thermodynamic and kinetic considerations. MATSE 421 Corrosion Engineering (3) This 3-credit course is an introduction to the corrosion field and more broadly to the principles of electrochemistry and to the electrode reactions that occur during the undesirable corrosive degradation of metal, and also in various important commercial processes such as electroplating, electroless plating, battery and fuel cell operation, aqueous extraction metallurgy and corrosion prevention techniques. The objectives of this course are to introduce the student to the (1) principles of electrode reactions, (2) nature of commercial corrosion resistant alloys and their compositions, (3) various forms of corrosion and preventative measures, and (4) design of electrochemical laboratory and field procedures for detecting corrosion processes and determining their rates. Thermodynamic and rate data are used to make engineering decisions relative to the occurrence of corrosion, to the effectiveness of the various preventative measures, and to electrochemical design. Corrosion processes and electrode reactions more generally are primarily concerned with the surface properties of materials, but the bulk properties, such as microstructure, grain size, hardness, and composition, are discussed in terms of their impact on materials degradation. In-class closed-book exams and problem sets, and homework that allow student collaboration, are used for evaluation. Computer access to the course is available and includes all lecture material, old exams with answers, home works, and syllabus on the Web. This course is offered every year with typical class size of less than 20 students.