Many of the world’s biggest and greatest structures are comprised of metal, either entirely or partially.
This engineering development has lead to some incredibly productive things, too, like the innovation of the railways and other transportation methods. Of course, as great as these structures are, they’re still susceptible to general wear and tear because corrosion is a natural occurrence.
That’s why protective coatings have been developed in order to protect the substrates.
In this Alphatek article, we’re going to tell you what can happen when corrosion is not prevented.
What is Corrosion?
Corrosion occurs when most of the atoms in a metal surface are oxidized which damages the entire surface. A lot of metals oxidise quite easily as they tend to lose electrons to oxygen either in water or in the air. A reduction in oxygen weakens the overall structure and an oxide eventually forms with the metal.
What is the Effect of Corrosion?
Metal loses its purity when it becomes corroded. Because of that, metal can actually lose some of the properties that made it an ideal choice to begin with. For example, when iron corrodes it begins to lose its sturdiness because the rusted iron crumbles very easily.
So when metallic structures are prone to corrosion, they are likely to lose strength and there is an increased tendency for structural collapse. Therefore, some of the world’s largest infrastructures would lose functionality and collapse. This is incredibly damaging when you consider that structures like bridges, railways, and tower buildings are constructed using metal.
Aside from qualities, appearance is also severely affected. Corrosive attacks on metal will increase the maintenance costs necessary in order to reinstall the structure back to its former lustre.
Not only is substrate structure affected as well as global finances but corrosion can be carcinogenic toward human health. Cuts from rusting metals can lead to tetanus and infections of the blood stream in humans.
It causes safety concerns, reputational damage, and indirect costs, too.
Why Is Corrosion Prevention So Important?
It’s estimated that the annual worldwide cost of metal corrosion is hundreds of billions. And considering there are prevention methods which can help to curb the process from even occurring, this is an exceptionally large amount of money.
Typically, if corrosion is occurring in a structure then it’s not been maintained in a long time or the construction planning was poor. If that’s the case then it is a waste of natural resources. Plus it doesn’t contribute towards sustainability on a global scale.
How Can Corrosion Be Prevented?
One of the easiest ways to prevent corrosion is by substituting corrosive metals with non-corrosive metals wherever possible. So stainless steel and aluminium would be great alternatives.
Or a corrosive metal can be coated with a non-corrosive metal. Similarly, a layer of any substance could also be fixed onto the metal’s surface so that it is protected from contact with moisture and the oxygen in the air. Therefore, no reaction could occur because of the barrier in place.
This method is sometimes also done with corrosive metal coatings. The outermost metallic layer acts as the sacrificial substrate so that the metal underneath, the actual component, does not weather any of the damages.
Additionally, the metallic substrate could just be coated with a paint, oil, or anti-corrosion coating. And Alphatek has anti corrosion coatings that will be beneficial for your components. Even in highly demanding environments, our anti-corrosion coatings will help to reduce wear and friction in your component.
Our thermal spray coatings are made specially with corrosion resistant alloys to ensure your component receives maximum protection.
The Plasma spray is our most versatile coating process which is made up of a range of alloys, including corrosion resistant alloys, and pure metals. Another metal coating with corrosion resistant alloys is our Arc-Wire thermal spray coating with pure metals and high coverage rates.
The HVOF (High Velocity Oxygen Fuel) thermal spray allows for a wide range of complex parts and equipment to be coated, of all shapes and sizes. It has the capability to deliver high throughput of smaller, high volume processes.
Alphatek: Get in Touch with Us
With unparalleled experience in thermal spray techniques and technologies, Alphatek will deliver the best in terms of results. Whatever industry you’re in, we have solutions that are suitable for application.
Interested in a low friction coating to improve component efficiency or extend component life? We can help you. R&D, our in house facility, develops coating solutions that are bespoke in order to meet your specific demands or challenges.
And with over 20 years of experience, we can guarantee you expertise. Be confident in our team.
Get in touch with us by calling on +44 (0)1706 821 021 or send us an email at postbox@alphatek.co.uk.
