Rust and Corrosion Prevention Using Metal Sealants

A large percentage of metal is susceptible to rust or corrosion. So, when these metals are exposed to the elements and extreme weather, they quickly begin oxidising and may even become weak and brittle, thus, losing their strength. Therefore, it’s clear that some form of corrosion prevention like metal sealants are needed to protect industrial metal parts and materials.

Methods of Corrosion Prevention

There are several ways to protect metals against corrosion.

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Surface Coating –

You can prevent metal corrosion by coating the metal surface using the following:

• Applying oil, grease, and paint on the surface

Though this method is cheap, degreasing is complicated, messy, labour-intensive, and time-consuming.

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• Coating with a thin layer of other metals that don’t corrode

Iron surfaces can be prevented from corroding by depositing a thin layer of chromium, zinc, or nickel on it. Though this method has limited success in some industries, it is expensive and, again, labour-intensive.

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• Applying flexible metal sealants or protective coatings

Bare metal surfaces can be protected using a flexible and easily peelable PVCA coating that serves as an external heavy-duty membrane. It fully protects metal surfaces such as flanges & shafts against any form of rust or moisture creep. An example of this is SKN Rust Protectant.

Connecting metal to a more electropositive metal - 

This is also called cathodic protection. For instance, you can protect iron by connecting it to a block or plate of zinc or magnesium. Though effective, its use is limited and is still expensive and labour-intensive.

Other Methods that Help Stop the Cause of Corrosion

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Keeping the area around the metal surface dry

The most common catalyst of oxidation is moisture, especially when metal is exposed to wet weather and other chemical spillages. Keeping the area around metals dry will prevent the onset of rust.

Use drying agents and moisture barrier products

For storage, transportation, or equipment protection, VCI plastic and paper, eGel Silica Gel, and Emitters can be used in conjunction with the use of protective coating products to provide maximum protection against moisture and rust. For instance, eGel Silica Gel bags and sachets can be placed in sensitive areas near intricate metal parts, while machined metal surfaces such as flange faces can be coated with a rust protectant.

SKN Coating Rust Protectant

The success of SKN Coating is well documented, especially in the oil and gas industry in Australasia & The Gulf of Mexico. Millions of dollars is wasted each year reworking and remachining equipment that is damaged by rust, and metal sealants like SKN help prevent that wastage. SKN’s prevention of corrosion using its proactive preservation methodology has become trusted by such companies as BP and Bechtel. Check out SKN products on https://www.skncoating.com/ for your queries or a free quotation.