INHIBITION OF THE CORROSION OF COPPER IN NITRIC ACID: Aniline and other substituted aromatic amines

Introduction The corrosive attack of nitric acid on copper is mainly due to the nitrous acid formed by the reaction between copper and nitric acid. The reaction is conditioned by: the concentration of the acid; temperature; the presence of nitrous acid; and the solubility of the reaction products in the acid. It has been suggested that as soon as a trace of NO2 has been formed by the reaction, NO3− + 2H+ + e → NO2 + H2O, it is quickly reduced to NO2− by the reaction NO2 + e → NO2−. Then NO2− combines with hydrogen ions to give nitrous acid. Nitrous acid can readily react with nitric acid to regenerate twice the original quantity of NO2 by the reaction, HNO2 + HNO3 → 2NO2 + H2O. In each cycle the quantity of NO2 and HNO2 is doubled.