Experimental teaching design of weightlessness method to determine the corrosion rate of metal

When exposed to corrosive environments, metals, which are relatively common industrial materials, undergo serious corrosion, leading to significant economic losses. Therefore, studying the corrosion rate of metals in their early stages holds great pedagogical significance. This study employs a standard specimen of 20# steel as an experimental object, designing the experimental teaching of metal corrosion rate under varying temperatures, PH levels, and hydrated salt materials. The weightlessness method determines the overall corrosion rate of the metal, while the electrochemical method determines the localized corrosion rate of the metal. When the experimental temperature is 80℃ and 100℃, the corrosion rate of 20# steel is the largest; both are 0.00800g·m⁻²·d⁻¹, and the charge transfer resistance increases gradually when the temperature is −20℃~5℃, and decreases gradually when the temperature is 5℃~100℃. The corrosion rate of the metal did not change much at pH=7 and 8, and the corrosion rate reached 0.688 mm/a, and the impedance curve polarization resistance R_p was the smallest when pH=5, and its corrosion resistance was poor under acidic conditions. The average corrosion rates in MgSO₄·7H₂O, and CaCl₂·6H₂O and Ba(OH)₂·8H₂O were 0.0030g/m⁻²h⁻¹, 0.0018g/m⁻²h⁻¹, and 0.0050 g/m⁻²h⁻¹, respectively. Teaching experiments were used to carry out the present study. The study aims to let students experience the process of metal corrosion through teaching experiments and better help them solve cognitive difficulties in metal corrosion.