Home > Chemical > Metallurgical > Why Is Corrosion Protection For Steel Significant?

Why Is Corrosion Protection For Steel Significant?

Before embarking upon the journey of why corrosion protection for steel is crucial, let`s us first understand what corrosion is and why it occurs. In simple words, corrosion means deterioration of metal due to chemical reactions occurring on the metal surface. The foremost reasons are moisture and other corroding agents present in the surrounding atmosphere. The rate of corrosion protection for steel, however, depends on the type, quality, and environmental conditions. Moreover, different metals behave differently under inconsistent conditions. As a fact, all metals undergo some form of corrosion over a period but varies in the intensity. E.g. Iron is more prone to corrosion, i.e. rusting when compared to stainless steel.

Why is corrosion protection for steel important:
AVOIDING ACCIDENTS
When corrosion occurs in steel then it can lead to a breakdown of an entire machine or mechanism. For example a bridge made of steel can collapse due to corrosion. Also Breakdown in machinery can lead to accident and even can be life threatening and thus as they say that precaution is better than cure thus we should use anti corrosive agents to avoid harm to human life.

HARMFUL TO THE ENVIORNMENT
Corrosion is also harmful to the environment. This is especially so when the metal is exposed to water or is under water. Then the corrosion can mix with the water and can cause harm to plant and animal life too. Thus it is important to take precautions and use anti corrosive fluids and agents to save the environment and cause minimum harm.

FINANICAL LOSSES
Corrosion of steel also causes major financial and economic losses. This is because steel and metal are expensive and it is not cost effective to replace them regularly. Also machine breakdown can lead to other losses as well.

HARMS HEALTH AND CAUSES DISEASE
Corrosion of steel also leads to harmful effects for human health and can cause disease. Thus precautions should be taken to nip the corrosion in the bud so that there is minimum or no harm to human life and health.

READ ALSO  HDPE Pipe Solutions For Water Infrastructure Rehabilitation

Why opt for quality corrosion protection for steel?

We don’t realize it often but corrosion can cause extremely severe accidents and may lead to loss of precious human life. Break down of rusty bridges or weathered equipment of a plane can take hundreds of lives if not given the required attention.  Big and life-sustaining industries like petroleum industry or power industry can be linked entirely if we leave unattended corrosion on the machines. Further, it can be harmful to both the environment and the economy. According to the World Corrosion Organization, it is estimated that the world loses more than one trillion Euro due to corrosion. Not only one can save billion of money using quality corrosion protection for steel, but it is also necessary for public health and safety, especially, in rust in drinking water pipes which can severely harm one’s health.

Therefore, it becomes highly important to use best quality corrosion protection for steel materials so that you can prevent your metal from weathering and further, prevent loss of money and potential danger to public health.

Types of Corrosion Protection for steel Processes

Though the market is filled with various options to protect your metal equipment from getting rotten, one has to consider various types of metal and how long this protection can prevent the rusting. There are majorly three different ways to prevent corrosion protection for steel on your expensive steel machines which are as follows:

  • Coatings:

Traditionally, a coating is widely used as corrosion protection for steel material to prevent weathering of the metal. Coatings provide a physical barrier between corrosive material and the metal surface. Majorly, coatings are used to cover the exterior of the metal surface to protect from external environmental conditions including air, water, and other corrosion agents.

There are two types of coatings – painting and platinum. Most common and economical way of corrosion protection for steel coating is painting. However, the paint after some time will break down, either through toxic reaction or due to other kinds of friction and leave the metal surface unprotected. Plating is another kind of coating which acts as a protective layer on the metal surface. It is done by creating a thin layer of another non-reactive metal on the metal surface using electric currents. Chrome plating or nickel plating can be a good corrosion protection for steel, protecting it from the corrosive agents in the environment for the much longer duration.

  • Corrosion Inhibitors
READ ALSO  Tata Steel’s Backend Digitization Processes Keep The Firm Ticking

Corrosion inhibitors are highly accepted in various industries due to its excellent anti-corrosive properties. The basic mechanism of corrosion inhibitors is that they in low concentration and extreme environment can slow down the process of corrosion. The inhibitor substance is chemically adsorbed on the surface, covering even small holes, and difficult to reach areas, forming a protective thin film by reacting with particles on the metal surface. These can be used to protect equipment covering both, inside and outside of the metal surface like storage tanks, engines, etc. You can add corrosion inhibitors without even dismantling or halting the machine.

  • Cathodic Protection

Another way for corrosion protection for steel is cathodic protection which works using a sacrificial anode to protect the metal surface. A sacrificial anode or metal is used to protect a metal structure, mostly iron. In this process, a more electrically active alloy or metal is deployed near the structure or the equipment that needed to be protected. Thus, the placed anode substance is used as a diversion and oxidized itself instead of the intended equipment until the metal piece completely corrodes. It is necessary to use an easily replaceable piece of metal for your convenience.

There are other methods also like galvanizing, a duplex coating which is a mixture of painting and galvanizing. However, every method is best suitable for the specific application and can only efficiently certain metal surfaces. Further, one should always opt for quality corrosion protection for steel materials considering the harmful effects of the corrosion on the environment and can become a potential reason for massive money loss.

Source: zavenir

Total Views: 93 ,
0
0

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *