Researches geared towards the development of green corrosion resistant coatings and inhibitors are underway in many manufacturers’ laboratories everywhere. The objectives for design are all calibrated to comply with current environment regulations and standards:
1. Anti-corrosive anodic properties
2. Reduced metal elements
3. Versatility of use in any substrate and conditions
4. Ease of storage, handling, mixing, application and disposal
5. Excellent corrosion resistance and general performance
6. Reasonable pricing, in comparison to existing zinc-based formulations
The wish-list above may be best in the environmental safety point of view, but it is a challenge to designers who find limitations in the finished products adhering to the design objectives. Excellent performance often comes with a high price, as much as good corrosion resistance typically comes from using toxic products in the mix. But although the development goals maybe challenging, they are not altogether impossible to achieve.
In experimental product designs, manufacturers tinker with the chemistry and physical properties of corrosion resistant coatings and inhibitors to come up with the optimal product that achieves the development goals. Alternative materials are sourced and modified when necessary. The coating systems are then applied on a variety of substrates. They undergo a series of accelerated corrosion tests from salt spraying, humidity testing, to cyclic prohesion testing. Structural analysis and component analysis is then conducted to determine the most effective application.
Some experimental prototypes maybe found promising, and will move on to further tests and formulation to verify results. This process is repeated for many designs, until the prototype that fits best the environmental requirements has been developed.
