Prevention of corrosion

Corrosion can be prevented by excluding moisture or electrolytes

from coming into contact with the metal. It is usually achieved by
coating the metal with a suitable material which performs this
function, eg, painting plates, greasing wire ropes, anodizing and
galvanizing
Painting is commonly used for shipboard corrosion prevention.
Different types of coatings are used in different areas, consistent
with the usage of that area.
Eg. Antifouling paint on hull below waterline, Abrasion resistant
paint on areas subject to such treatment like shipside and decks,
Epoxy paints in tanks, bilges and cofferdams, and glossy paints on
superstructures.
Paint compositions cover a multitude of proprietary products but
the basic mechanisms of corrosion protection are as follows:
1) A barrier coating which prevents ingress of water and oxygen.
To be effective the paint must be of adequate thickness to provide
an impervious layer above the prepared surface, free from flaws,
and firmly adherent throughout its life.
2) An inhibitor carrier in which appropriate corrosion inhibitors
such as zinc chromate are incorporated in the paint.
3) By cathodic protection provided by incorporating a high
concentration of metal powders such as zinc in the paint
composition. This type of coating can be effective in preventing
corrosion at gaps or scratches in the paint film.
Many paint systems provide protection by a combination of these
mechanisms.
Most paints consist of an organic medium which after spreading as
a thin film on the surface to be protected dries to form a hard
adherent protective film. The drying of the paint film can occur by
several different or combinations of mechanisms, of which the
most important are as follows:
1) Lacquers which dry solely by solvent evaporation.
2) Air drying finishes which initially lose solvent and the medium
is then oxidised by exposure to air.
3) Chemically cured coatings in which two or more components
are mixed together just prior to application and the chemical
reactions convert the medium to a solid film
4) Stoving finishes where oxidation or chemical reaction are either
brought about or accelerated by elevated temperatures