SEDL / STP / STP1239-EB / STP14922S

Galvanic Protection of Steel by Zinc under Thin Layer Electrolytes

Zhang, XG
Corrosion Research Specialist and Manager, Product Technology, COMINCO Product Technology Centre, Mississauga, ON

Valeriote, EM
Corrosion Research Specialist and Manager, Product Technology, COMINCO Product Technology Centre, Mississauga, ON

Pages: 10    Published: Jan 1995

Download this paper for $25 PDF (140K)          View License Agreement
Abstract

The galvanic protection distance and protection area of steel by zinc under thin layer electrolytes were determined based on measurements of the potential and galvanic current distributions of a zinc/steel couple. The protection distance was found to increase with increasing conductivity and thickness of the electrolyte and with decreasing surface area of the steel. The galvanic protection area was found to proportionally increase with increasing area of the steel to a certain value, then decrease with further increase in steel area. The galvanic corrosion rate of zinc increased with the steel area up to acertain size, then decreased slightly with a larger area. It decreased sharply as the distance between zinc and steel increased.