New paint for metals offers better anti-corrosion protection
18 February 2013
Researchers are working on a new type of metal coating that provides higher protection against corrosion thanks to improved adherence to the metal surface.
Photo courtesy of the Universitat Jaume I de Castellón in Spain
Protecting metals against corrosion has hitherto required some form of pre-treatment. Thanks to a chemical interaction that improves adherence of the paint to the substrate and its subsequent anti-corrosive properties, a single layer of the new coating offers a level of protection that is as good as when a pre-treatment is used.
The idea of the project, says researcher José Javier Gracenea at the Universitat Jaume I de Castellón in Spain, is to avoid this pre-treatment stage altogether and thus reduce costs for industry.
The new coating is applicable to all metals, although the team is currently working with aluminium, steel and galvanized steel (the vast majority of metals used in industry).
It is expected this new type of paint will be on the market within two years, and its use will save around 20 percent in production costs.