Metal coatings supply many benefits for industrial concerns. However, the major one sought out from any metal coating company is corrosion protection. This is particularly true for those with metal components or products. Steel, used extensively in architectural or structural construction, is a major target for rust. As such, it is a prime candidate for metal coating.
Steel and Corrosion
Corrosion is a condition defined as the deterioration or even destruction of a material resulting from a reaction between the material and its environment. An electrochemical reaction, it occurs when iron oxidizes into iron oxides. This weakens the material. A classic example of this is steel corrosion.
All forms of steel are prone to rust if placed in certain conditions. When steel corrodes, it is generally the result of an unfavorable environment. For the corrosion of steel to take place, it requires two essential ingredients:
- Moisture
- Oxygen (air)
Rusting cannot occur without the presence of either element.
The rate of steel corrosion from these elements is also dependent upon factors. These include:
- Length the steel remains wet
- Level of pollutants in the environment hosting the steel structure or component
- pH level of the environment surrounding the steel part or structure
These will all factor into what type of metal coating a company will employ to achieve protection against corrosion.
Metal Coating
A metal coating is often a sacrificial type of protection. Various metal coatings can and do protect steel from corroding extensively and swiftly. Among common sacrificial metal coatings are
- Al
- Zinc
- Mg
Alloys of the above three metals provide cathodic protection for steel. Further reinforcement of the coating can be obtained by first applying a sealer to fill in gaps and pores. The fornicator will then spray the entire metal coating with paint.
Cost Effective Protection
With or without the extra paint coating, a metal coating is a cost-effective means of providing corrosion protection for steel and other metals. It accomplishes this in two main ways:
- It decreases the potential for corrosion damage on the structure. This reduces the need to repair and/or replace it
- The actual cost of the process is increasingly going down while the effect and the quality is not
These two facts make the process cost-effective for the steel industry.
Contact a Metal Coating Company
Steel is subject to corrosion. This makes it a risk to public safety in a number of ways. The means to prevent this occurring with such rapidity is to provide it with protection against the environmental forces that coast it. While several measures do exist, the most cost-effective is through a metal coating company applying the right protective coating. While no measure is perfect, a metal coating can and does reduce the immediate risk and extends the longevity of the material.
