COATINGS & INHIBITORS

Application in Corrosion

Topics:
Metallic Coatings

Electroplated Coatings
Hot-dip Coatings
Cladding
Thermal Spray Coatings
Vapour Deposition

Inorganic Coatings
Cementatious and Ceramic Coatings
Diffusion Coatings
Conversion Coatings

Organic Coatings

 Inhibitors
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Adsorption-type
Hydrogen evolution
Scavengers
Oxidizers
Vapour-phase

Coatings
Coatings act as barriers between metal and its
environment.
Consists of:
- Metallic coatings
- Inorganic coatings
- Organic coatings
- Coatings used with inhibitors.

Metallic Coatings
Two classes:
noble coatings and
sacrificial coatings.

Noble coating is more resistant than substrate,

provides protection when coating is pore-free.
Sacrificial coating is more active than
substrate, provides protection first as barrier
and secondly as sacrificial coating.

 Electro-deposition
Part to be coated is immersed in solution of the
metal to be plated.
Current is passed between the part and another
electrode.

e.g. Automobile bumper has inner layer of

copper (adhesion), intermediate layer of nickel
(corrosion resistance) and top layer of
chromium (appearance).
e.g. Tin or chromium plating of steel strip for
food packaging and other container uses.

 Hot-dip coatings
Part to be coated is dipped in molten bath of
coating metal (low melting point metals), e.g. zinc,
tin, lead and aluminium.
Thickness of coating is much greater than electroplating.
Coated parts are heat-treated to form an alloy bond
between coating and the part.
e.g. galvanized steel, aluminium coated roofing
panels, automotive exhaust components.

 Cladding
Clad metals are bonded metal-to-metal by rolling
to produce a composite system.
Cladding is usually thinner than base metal.
e.g. Nickel clad steel as liner for tanks, stainless
steel clad aluminium truck bumpers and
automotive trims.

 Thermal spray coatings

Coated metal in the form of wire or rod is fed
through a melting flame spray unit and finely
divided liquid metal particles are blown onto the
surface of substrate.
As particles strike the surface, they flatten and
form thin platelets.
Oxygen and acetylene or propane are commonly
used for the melting flame.
Coatings are generally porous and not protective.

 Bond between sprayed coating and substrate is

mechanical.
Paint can be applied over coating to fill the voids
and provide better barrier.
e.g. exhaust stacks sprayed with aluminium, ship
hulls, tank cars, etc.

 Vapour deposition
Coating metal is vaporized by heating
electrically and vapour deposits on substrate to
be coated.
Aluminium and aluminium alloys are most
widely used by evaporation process.
Other examples, titanium nitride for wear
applications.

Inorganic Coatings
Cementatious coating
Widely used construction material in protective
linings for floors, trenches, ducts, chimneys and air
pollution control equipment in metal working,
chemical, pulp and paper, refinery, waste
treatment.
Applied by cast or gunning (shotcreting) over
steel, brick and mortar masonry.

 Ceramic coatings
Chemical-setting silicate cement lining.
Porcelain enamel (glass coatings) applied to sheet
steel, cast iron or aluminium parts to improve
appearance and protect metal surface.
Porcelain enamel coatings must be free from
defects and coating discontinuities.
e.g. Water heater tanks, processing vessels, heat
exchangers.

 Diffusion coating
Parts to be coated are packed in solid material
exposed to gaseous environment containing the
metal that forms the coating.
e.g. Al2O3 forms over iron-aluminium alloyed
surface (alonizing), used in petroleum and
chemical industries due to resistance to sulphuric
acid.
Others: sheradizing (zinc), chromizing
(chromium).

 Conversion coating
Produced by corroding the metal surface in acid
bath to form an adherent and protective corrosion
product. (Metal is made anode).
Surface layer is porous and provides good
adherence for paints.
e.g. Al2O3 in anodized aluminium (in sulphuric
acid).

 e.g. Phosphatizing steel, galvanized steel or

aluminium treated with dilute solution of
phosphoric acid (iron phosphate, zinc phosphate).
e.g. Chromatizing magnesium and zinc treated
with chromic acid. Produces hazardous waste.

Organic Coatings
Thin barrier between substrate and the
environment.
e.g. Paints, varnishes, lacquers.
Should not be used where the environment would
rapidly attack substrate.
Composed of multiple layers, e.g. phosphate
conversion coating, primer and top coat.

 Three main factors to consider:

(a) Surface preparation
- Removal of dirt, rust, mill scale, etc.
- Surface roughening to obtain mechanical
bond.
- Done by grit blasting, acid pickling, wire
brushing, flame cleaning, solvent degreasing.
- Selection of surface preparation depends on
metal to be painted, shape, size and
accessibility of part, coating system, etc,

(b) Selection of primer

- Primers contain rust-inhibitive pigments such
as zinc chromate and zinc dust.
(c) Selection of top coat
- Quality of paint. Paint deteriorates with time.
- Thickness such that no bare metal is exposed.
- Multiple coats are needed.
- E.g. Oil-based, alkyd, coal tar epoxy, silicone
aluminium, vinyl, urethane, zinc (inorganic).

Inhibitors
Substances added in small concentrations to
the environment which decreases corrosion
rate.
Various types: adsorption-type, hydrogen
evolution, scavengers, oxidizers, vapourphase.

Adsorbtion-type
Organic compounds which adsorb on metal
surface and suppress metal dissolution and
reduction reactions. e.g Organic amines.
Hydrogen evolution poisons
Specifically retard hydrogen evolution reaction.
Effective in acidic solutions.
E.g. Arsenic and antimony ions.

Scavengers
Removes corrosive reagents from solution.
E.g. Sodium sulfite and hydrazine, which
remove dissolved oxygen.
2Na2SO3 + O2 2Na2SO4
N2H4 + O2 N2 + 2H2O

Work effectively where oxygen reduction is

controlling cathodic reaction.
Not effective in strong acidic solutions.

Oxidizers
Used to inhibit corrosion of metals and alloys
that show active-passive transition such as steel
and stainless steel.
E.g. Chromate, nitrate, and ferric salts.
Vapour-phase inhibitors
Do not need direct contact with metal.
Transferred by sublimation and condensation to
metal surface.
Effective in closed spaces.

 In general:
Inhibitors are specific in terms of metal,
environment, temperature and concentration
range.
Inhibitors should be added in excess.
May contaminate the environment.

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