Corrosion: Love and struggle

If we want to attract the young generation to the problematic, nasty phenomenon of corrosion, we have to show the charm and beauty of corrosion science and technology. Which forces rule the universe? Love and struggle. They govern both the animate and inanimate worlds. The media of art and our imagination can help us to understand the causes of "love and struggle" between metals and the environment. The aim of this work is to show to corrosion scientists and engineers, as well as to students and those interested, that the subject of corrosion has many poetic forms and applications. Why can we compare corrosion with love and struggle? Corrosion is a case of electrochemical/chemical reaction. But ... all chemical reactions are based on "love and struggle" between atoms and molecules. How can we define love for human society? Love is an eternal phenomenon among opposites, man and woman, or similar kinds. If we put two gases in contact, H ₂ and Cl ₂, the process of "love" begins, and we can say, that love between H and Cl atoms is stronger, than love between individual atoms H - H and Cl - Cl. This love is accompanied by the struggle of electrons and the nucleus. Love between people is also accompanied by a process at the atomic and molecular level. Moreover, love is accompanied by impulses, namely, by electrochemical processes, occurring in living organisms. These processes are not completely understood. "Love" between metals and the environment is not completely understood too. Analogies and differences in love between man and woman, metals and the environment, are given. There are so many factors affected love. Contrary to people, there is a quantitative thermodynamic criteria, the Gibbs energy, in the inanimate world. We can explain by means of this criteria why there is "love" between metals and the environment under particular conditions. We identify in such comparison a male as a metal and a female as the environment. Two participants must be present for love to occur. Like many types of men and women, there are many kinds of metals and environments. Thermodynamic data are necessary, but not enough. Kinetic conditions, such as activation energy, presence of passive film, ions, depolarizers, temperature, and flow rate, can accelerate or retard realization of the thermodynamic chance of "love". As a result of love between man and woman, children are born. "Corrosion love" results in "corrosion children" in the form of oxides (Al ₂O ₃, Cr ₂O ₃) or hydroxides (FeOOH) protecting their parents from further love. Our task is to prevent, or, at least, to lessen this love. Poetic and humoristic findings are given for corrosion control in "love" between metals and the environment. Both love and corrosion are perceived by means of all organs of sense based on the activity of atoms and molecules. The stages and time periods are very important both for love and corrosion. We compare corrosion phenomena with the lure and magnetic aspects of human life. These findings represent a unique fascination and a magic of the corrosion world from an unusual point of view.