Corrosion and Surface Chemistry of Metals

This book provides a comprehensive and unified understanding of the surface chemistry and electrochemistry of metals, applied to the critical subject of corrosion and protection. Because corrosion phenomena are largely electrochemically driven, the book begins with the basics of the thermodynamics and kinetics of electrochemical reactions and a discussion of the chemical and physical nature of metal surfaces and interfaces. The attention then turns to the experimental study and theoretical interpretation of corrosion reactions that take place at metal surfaces and thin oxide films ; the entire toolkit of the modern surface chemist is described in the context of the metal corrosion and wear. The second part of the book presents a wide range of corrosion phenomena found in pratice, grouped according to their mechanism and environmental conditions. Metallic wear, both alone and in the presence of corrosion, is treated, and a final chapter presents ana overview of different approaches to corrosion protection and their principles. The book thus presents a thorough introduction to modern corrosion science and engineering.