Polyurea coating as corrosion protection

Corrosion, i.e. the reaction between substances and their environment, is a more than annoying thing not only in cars (rust). Every year, corrosion damage runs into billions of euros. Experts estimate that around four percent of the country’s gross national product is lost each year in this way. Globally, five tons of steel corrode every second. Protection against this is therefore urgently needed.

A distinction is generally made between passive and active corrosion protection. Active corrosion protection means protecting something from corrosion by not exposing it to the activating media (air, water, production materials). However, since this is often not possible, passive corrosion protection is so popular. A barrier is erected between the material at risk of corrosion and the corrosion accelerator – this is excellently achieved by a polyurea coating.

Reduce corrosion tendency in general

Before pursuing passive corrosion protection, fundamental care should be taken to control the environmental conditions that promote corrosion. The tendency to corrosion increases when humidity increases, when condensation or precipitation water is present, and due to air contamination by sulfur dioxide, for example.

What materials can corrode

However, it is not always and everywhere possible to have the external circumstances completely under control. Therefore, polyurea coating as corrosion protection is still the most effective, because the most controllable way to protect the property from decomposing corrosion.

It is often mistakenly assumed that only metals can corrode. However, this is a fallacy. Apart from the reaction of metals to ambient oxygen (rust), there are other types of corrosion.

There is the …

• bacterial corrosion,
• the glass corrosion,
• the acid corrosion and
• the hydrogen embrittlement.

The formation of a patina on copper or the tarnishing of silver are also forms of corrosion.

However, the corrosion protection provided by a polyurea coating usually refers mostly to metals on a large, industrial scale. Nevertheless, even with copper fences for private use, for example, should think about a polyurea coating. The coating significantly increases the life expectancy of all beneficiary metal parts.