Corrosion and Corrosion Protection of Copper Sculptures by Formation of Composite Barrier

Abstract

Nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are acidic gas and they produce corrosive medium for copper sculptures. These gases absorb moisture to form nitric acid, carbonic and sulphuric acid. It forms corrosion cell on the surface of copper and accelerate corrosion reactions. The corrosion cell formation is written as: Cu|Cu2+||H+|H2 thus corrosion reactions start and copper is oxidized into Cu2+surface and it is oxidized into Cu2+ whereas H+ ion is reduced into H2 . Nitric acid environment copper exhibits galvanic, pitting, stress, crevice, blistering, embrittlement and intergranular corrosion. The corrosion reactions change physical, chemical and mechanical properties of corroded materials. Nanocoating compound tetrahydrodibenzo[a,d][7]annulene-5,11-disemicarbazone and SiC electrospray compounds used to control the corrosion of copper in nitrogen dioxide medium. For corrosion mitigation of copper metal interface was coated with tetrahydro-dibenzo[a,d][7]annulene-5,11-disemicarbazone and SiC. The coating compound tetrahydro-dibenzo[a,d][7]annulene-5,11-disemicarbazone was synthesized in laboratory. Nozzle spray techniques used for nanocoating and electrospraying. The corrosion rate of copper was determined by gravimetric loss method at different temperatures, concentrations and days in nitrogen dioxide medium. Potentiostatic polarization technique used for the determination of electrode potential, corrosion current and current density. Nanocoating and electrospraying compounds formed a composite barrier on the surface of base metal by chemical bonding. The nanocoating and electrospray compounds adhered on base metal by chemisorptions to confirm by activation energy, heat of adsorption, free energy, enthalpy and entropy. The nanocoating and electrospray deposited on copper confirmed by Langmuir, Frundlich and Temkin isotherm. Copper formed a complex compound to interact with tetrahydro-dibenzo[a,d][7]annulene-5,11-disemicarbazone and SiC. Electrospraying SiC blocked porosities of nanocoating compound and checked osmosis process of nitrogen dioxide. Thenanocoating and electrospray compounds decreased corrosion rate and increased surface coverage areas and percentage coating efficiencies.