Corrosion Protection for Steel

About

Novel method for corrosion protection of ferrous metal surfaces by removing the layer(s) of oxidized metal and depositing emeraldine base polyaniline onto the surface. The Need Materials containing iron (i.e., steel) naturally corrode due to chemical reactions which can compromise its structural integrity. Majority of buildings use steel for structural support, and many types of machinery and vehicles often utilize ferrous metals in key components for operation. Efforts have been made in protecting steel members from corrosion with various methods, but many have been insufficient due to lack of effectiveness and increasing environmental regulation. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), conventional methods provide a multitude of environmental concerns through waste and pollution. With steel being a primary material used in many types of machinery and structures, it is of utmost importance to provide an effective and environmentally safe method for protecting it from corrosion. The Market Steel manufacturing in the US receives $121.3 billion in revenue with an estimated annual growth of 2.5% from 2015 to 2020 (IBISWorld), which indicates how relevant steel is in manufacturing and construction industries. The global market of advanced technologies for industrial coatings is expected to increase from $54.7 billion in 2015 to $67 billion in 2020. (BCC Research) Automotive coatings manufacturing in the US receives $6.4 billion in revenue and is expected to have an annual growth of 1.5% from 2014 to 2019. (IBISWorld) With regards to industrial coatings, "environmental concerns associated with conventional ingredients, coating application technologies, and coating wastes are a driving force for developing pollution prevention alternatives." (ILO) The Technology Researchers at The Ohio State University, led by Dr. Arthur Epstein, developed a novel method for protecting ferrous metal surfaces from corrosion using emeraldine base polyaniline. The method involves removing the layers of oxidized metal and depositing one or more layers of an emeraldine base polyaniline polymer onto the ferrous metal surface. The coating withdraws a positive charge from the metal surface causing passivation which protects the ferrous metal surface from corrosion. The anodic mechanism used by the coating also allows for extensive throwing power resulting in a uniform application of approximately 15 mm in length on cold rolled steel. This novel coating method provides alternative ingredients and technologies to reduce waste and pollution.