Galvanization

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(disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Galvanism or Electrogalvanization.

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A street lamp in Singapore showing the characteristic spangle of hot-dip galvanization

Galvanization or galvanizing is the process of applying a protective zinc coating

to steel or iron, to prevent rusting. The most common method is hot-dip galvanizing, in
which the parts are submerged in a bath of molten zinc.

Contents

 1Protective action
 2History and etymology
 3Methods
 4Eventual corrosion
 5Galvanized construction steel
 6Galvanized piping
 7See also
 8References
 9External links

Protective action[edit]
Galvanizing protects the underlying iron or steel in the following main ways:

 The zinc coating, when intact, prevents corrosive substances from reaching the
underlying steel or iron.
 The zinc protects iron by corroding first. For better results, application
of chromates over zinc is also seen as an industrial trend.[citation needed]
 In the event the underlying metal becomes exposed, protection can continue as long as
there is zinc close enough to be electrically coupled. After all of the zinc in the
immediate area is consumed, localized corrosion of the base metal can occur.

History and etymology[edit]

Galvanized nails

Named via French from the name of Italian scientist Luigi Galvani, the earliest use of the
term was, in early 19th-century scientific research and medical practice, stimulation of a
muscle by the application of an electric current. The term "galvanized" continues to be used
metaphorically of any stimulus which results in activity by a person or group of people. [1]
The earliest known example of galvanized iron was encountered by Europeans on 17th-
century Indian armour in the Royal Armouries Museum collection.[2] The armoured
application is the origin of the metaphorical use of the verb "galvanize", meaning to
reinforce.
In modern usage, the term "galvanizing" has largely come to be associated with zinc
coatings, to the exclusion of other metals. Galvanic paint, a precursor to hot-dip
galvanizing, was patented by Stanislas Sorel, of Paris, in December 1837.[3]

Methods[edit]
Hot-dip galvanizing deposits a thick, robust layer of zinc iron alloys on the surface of a steel
item. In the case of automobile bodies, where additional decorative coatings of paint will be
applied, a thinner form of galvanizing is applied by electrogalvanizing. The hot-dip process
generally does not reduce strength on a measurable scale, [4] with the exception of high-
strength steels (>1100 MPa) where hydrogen embrittlement can become a problem.[5][6] This
deficiency is a consideration affecting the manufacture of wire rope and other highly-
stressed products.
The protection provided by hot-dip galvanizing is insufficient for products that will be
constantly exposed to corrosive materials such as acids, including acid rain in outdoor
uses. For these applications, more expensive stainless steel is preferred. Some nails made
today are galvanized. Nonetheless, electroplating is used on its own for many outdoor
applications because it is cheaper than hot-dip zinc coating and looks good when new.
Another reason not to use hot-dip zinc coating is that for bolts and nuts of size M10 (US
3/8") or smaller, the thick hot-dipped coating fills in too much of the threads, which reduces
strength (because the dimension of the steel prior to coating must be reduced for the
fasteners to fit together). This means that for cars, bicycles, and many other light
mechanical products, the practical alternative to electroplating bolts and nuts is not hot-dip
zinc coating, but making the fasteners from stainless steel or (stronger but much more
expensive) titanium.

Galvanized surface with visible spangle

The size of crystallites (grains) in galvanized coatings is a visible and aesthetic feature,
known as "spangle". By varying the number of particles added for
heterogeneous nucleation and the rate of cooling in a hot-dip process, the spangle can be
adjusted from an apparently uniform surface (crystallites too small to see with the naked
eye) to grains several centimetres wide. Visible crystallites are rare in other engineering
materials, even though they are usually present.
Thermal diffusion galvanizing, or Sherardizing, provides a zinc diffusion coating on iron- or
copper-based materials.[7][8] Parts and zinc powder are tumbled in a sealed rotating drum.
Around 300 °C (572 °F), zinc will diffuse into the substrate to form a zinc alloy. The
advance surface preparation of the goods can be carried out by shot blasting. The process
is also known as "dry galvanizing", because no liquids are involved; this can avoid possible
problems caused by hydrogen embrittlement. The dull-grey crystal structure of the zinc
diffusion coating has a good adhesion to paint, powder coatings, or rubber. It is a preferred
method for coating small, complex-shaped metals, and for smoothing rough surfaces on
items formed with sintered metal.

Eventual corrosion[edit]

Rusted corrugated steel roof

Although galvanizing will inhibit attack of the underlying steel, rusting will be inevitable after
some decades' exposure to weather, especially if exposed to acidic conditions. For
example, corrugated iron sheet roofing will start to degrade within a few years despite the
protective action of the zinc coating. Marine and salty environments also lower the lifetime
of galvanized iron because the high electrical conductivity of sea water increases the rate
of corrosion, primarily through converting the solid zinc to soluble zinc chloride which
simply washes away. Galvanized car frames exemplify this; they corrode much faster in
cold environments due to road salt, though they will last longer than unprotected steel.
Galvanized steel can last for many decades if other supplementary measures are
maintained, such as paint coatings and additional sacrificial anodes. The rate of corrosion
in non-salty environments is caused mainly by levels of sulfur dioxide in the air.[9] In the
most benign natural environments, such as inland low population areas, galvanized steel
can last without rust for over 100 years. [citation needed]
Galvanized construction steel[edit]
This is the most common use for galvanized metal, and hundreds of thousands of tons of
steel products are galvanized annually worldwide. In developed countries most larger cities
have several galvanizing factories, and many items of steel manufacture are galvanized for
protection. Typically these include: street furniture, building frameworks, balconies,
verandahs, staircases, ladders, walkways, and more. Hot dip galvanized steel is also used
for making steel frames as a basic construction material for steel frame buildings.

Galvanized piping[edit]
See also: Galvanic corrosion, Pipe (fluid conveyance), and Piping
In the early 20th century, galvanized piping replaced previously-used cast
iron and lead in cold-water plumbing. Typically, galvanized piping rusts from the inside out,
building up layers of plaque on the inside of the piping, causing both water pressure
problems and eventual pipe failure. These plaques can flake off, leading to visible
impurities in water and a slight metallic taste. The life expectancy of galvanized piping is
about 70 years,[citation needed] but it may vary by region due to impurities in the water supply and
the proximity of electrical grids for which interior piping acts as a pathway (the flow of
electricity can accelerate chemical corrosion). Pipe longevity also depends on the thickness
of zinc in the original galvanizing, which ranges on a scale from G40 to G210, [clarification
needed]
and whether the pipe was galvanized on both the inside and outside, or just the
outside.
Since World War II, copper and plastic piping have replaced galvanized piping for interior
drinking water service, but galvanized steel pipes are still used in outdoor applications
requiring steel's superior mechanical strength. The use of galvanized pipes lends some
truth to the urban myth that water purity in outdoor water faucets is lower, but the actual
impurities (iron, zinc, calcium) are harmless. [citation needed]
The presence of galvanized piping detracts from the appraised value of housing stock
because piping can fail, increasing the risk of water damage. Galvanized piping will
eventually need to be replaced if housing stock is to outlast a 50 to 70 year life expectancy,
and some jurisdictions[which?] require galvanized piping to be replaced before sale. One
option to extend the life expectancy of existing galvanized piping is to line it with an epoxy
resin.[citation needed]

See also[edit]
 Cathodic protection
 Corrugated galvanized iron
 Galvanic corrosion
 Galvannealed - galvanization and annealing
 Prepainted metal
 Rust
 Rustproofing
 Sendzimir process
 Sherardizing

References[edit]
1. ^ James A. H. Murray; et al. (eds.). The Oxford English Dictionary. VI (2 ed.). Oxford
University Press. p. 340. ISBN 0 19 861218-4.
2. ^ [1] Summary of XRF analysis conducted on or about 30 September 1999 by the Royal
Armouries Museum in Leeds and written up as part of a thesis by Helen Bowstead
Stallybrass at the Department of Archaeological Sciences, Bradford University.
 3. ^ Process for protecting articles made of Iron or Steel from oxidation." Specification of
patent granted to M. Sorel, of Paris, France, December, 1837. Journal of the Franklin
Institute (Philadelphia, Pa.), Published by Pergamon Press, 1838, via Google Book Search.
4. ^ Industrial Galvanizes: http://www.ingal.com.au/IGSM/28.htm
5. ^ "Zinc Plating and Hydrogen Embrittlement".Hydrogen Embrittlement Handbook
6. ^ "Steel Selection". American Galvanizers Association. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
7. ^ Porter, Frank C. (1991). Zinc Handbook. CRC Press. ISBN 978-0-8247-8340-2.
8. ^ Natrup, F.; Graf, W. (21 November 2014). "20 - Sherardizing: corrosion protection of
steels by zinc diffusion coatings". In Mittemeijer, Eric J.; Somers, Marcel A. J.
(eds.). Thermochemical Surface Engineering of Steels: Improving Materials Performance.
Elsevier Science. p. 737. ISBN 978-0-85709-652-4.
9. ^ "Atmospheric Resistance". Galvanising Association (UK). Archived from the original on
2014-02-22.

External links[edit]
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 American Galvanizers Association

 Galvanizers Association
 Galvanizers Association Ireland