Corrosion

Corrosion is deterioration of useful properties in a material due to reactions with its environment. Weakening of steel due to oxidation of the iron atoms is a well-known example of electrochemical corrosion. This type of damage usually affects metallic materials, and typically produces oxide(s) and/or salt(s) of the original metal. Corrosion also includes the dissolution of ceramic materials and can refer to discolouration and weakening of polymers by the sun's ultraviolet light.

Related Topics:
Electrochemical - Oxide - Salt - Ceramic - Polymer - Sun - Ultraviolet

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Electrochemical corrosion causes between $8 billion and $128 billion in economic damage per year in the United States alone1, degrading structures, machines, and containers. Most structural alloys corrode merely from exposure to moisture in the air, but the process can be strongly affected by exposure to acids, bases, salts and organic chemicals. It can be concentrated locally to form a pit or crack, or it can extend across a wide area to produce general deterioration; efforts to reduce corrosion sometimes merely redirect the damage into less visible, less predictable forms.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~