1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terrific, unique work, April 24, 2011
This review is from: Principles of Corrosion Engineering and Corrosion Control (Paperback)
I have really come to love this book over time. First off, the author clearly explains the basic workings of all corrosion mechanisms in detail with illustrative diagrams. I have read the classic Fontana books, Schweiter's works, and hundreds of articles on corrosion of metals, polymers, coatings etc but this book takes it to another level. I have achieved an enhanced understanding of all forms of corrosion including discovery of many finicky details heretofore unbeknownst to me. For example, regarding galvanic corrosion of zinc and iron, "at temperatures above 60 C (140F), the zinc becomes cathodic and the iron becomes anodic (p. 124)." In the rusting of iron, "if Fe(Oh)2 [ferrous hydroxide] is formed on the surface of a metal very rapidly, the corrosion is prevented (a passive film)", but "the corrosion rate is very high if the ferrous iron is oxidized to ferric oxide rapidly (p. 123)." Did you know that replacing a new pipe next to the old pipe makes the new pipe anodic, meaning the new pipe will corrode (p. 131)? Also, regarding galvanic corrosion, "titanium has a tendency to polarize cathodically in seawater. Any less resistant metal attached to titanium will not undergo corrosion as would be expected because of the cathodic polarization of titanium."
In the "Types of Corrosion" chapter, the author goes into great detail to explain each mechanism in detail. On "factors affecting crevice corrosion", the author provides the following detailed list (p.140):
1. Bulk solution composition
2. Bulk soln environment
3. Mass transport in and out of crevice
a. convection
4. Crevice solution
5. Electrochemical reactions
a. metal dissolution
b. O2 reduction
c. H2 evolution
6. Alloy composition
a. major constituents
b. minor constituents
c. impurities
7. Passive film characteristics
a. passive current
b. film stability
8. Crevice type
a. metal/metal
b. metal/non-metal
c. metal/marine growth
9. Crevice geometry
a. gap
b. depth
10. Total geometry
a. exterior to interior crevice area ratio
b. number of crevices
Have you ever seen such a thorough breakdown of crevice corrosion factors?? This is great, and it is typical of Mr. Ahmad's comprehensive approach throughout the book. Check out p.153 in the preview for an unparalled view of the anatomy of a pit. He then closes the section with an 11-point checklist for the prevention of pitting corrosion (p.162). After 150 pages of detailed insights, diagrams, and examples, this in-depth chapter finally comes to a close.
In the "Corrosion Prevention by Design" chapter, illustrations are abound on every page. If you can preview the chapter, you'll see that the author was truly intent on making his readers understand these concepts fully.
In addition, this is a great all-in-one quantitative book expecially as regard corrosion kinetics. Mr. Ahmad explains the derivations clearly and I was left with an understanding of the equations, how to use them, and the assumptions under which they are valid.
A whole chapter on atmospheric corrosion is provided, illuminating the fact that "If the atmosphere is clear and uncontaminated, corrosion is negligible at a RH as high as 99%. However, in the presence of contaminants, corrosion begins to increase around 80% RH...steel can corrode even at 35% RH in the marine environment. At a RH of 55%, a surface film of 15 molecules thick is formed on mild steel, which increases to a 90 molecular layer as the RH increases to 100%, causing an acceleration of the corrosion process (p.554)."
It goes on and on. On top of that, this jewel is available at a really reasonable price. With a publication date of 2006, this is gotta be my best pick for a corrosion textbook for the serious professional. For a design engineer/failure analyst such as myself, this great work is a dream come true. Thank you sincerely, Mr. Ahmad.
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