Corrosion experiments in metals and alloys. Comparison between field and laboratory tests: a research work in high school degree

The aim of this work is to show the experimental results corresponding to comparative corrosion studies carried out with five commercially pure different metals (iron, lead, zinc, aluminum, and copper) together with the alloy stainless steel 316. Field tests were performed in two different environments. The first, urban environment was represented by a zone corresponding to metropolitan area of Barcelona (Spain). The second environment, a marine environment, was selected on the coast line of the same metropolitan area. The time corresponding to field tests was a half year and the subsequent results were compared with laboratory accelerated tests from robotized equipment, chosen to simulate urban and marine environments, by using aqueous sodium hydrogen sulphite and sodium chloride solutions, respectively. Equivalent time between both field and accelerated tests has been obtained. The results allow a good correlation between both types of exposures and make it possibleto study morphological and quantitative aspects of corrosion process, as well as the influence of different variables that influence the corrosion resistance of each metal and alloy. The main feature of this work is the collaboration between high school students and university faculty , to illustrate, by active participation, the concept of “research work”, in the second year of high school, just before beginning their higher education studies