Have You Checked These Corrosion Tests Lately?
When is the last time you conducted a corrosion test? Corrosion testing should be an important part of your research and development phase, as well as your quality control phase.
Corrosion tests are incredibly important because they help indicate how likely a metal part or project will corrode over time. While corrosion is typically a slow, drawn-out occurrence, most corrosion tests accelerate conditions so that corrosive probability can be determined faster.
There are many different types of corrosion to test for, including general corrosion, localized corrosion, environmentally-assisted cracking, and microbiologically influenced corrosion. Each form of corrosion can be tested in a different way, though most follow the popular immersion approach. Immersion testing is when a surface is exposed to corrosive elements at intense rates or in high quantities. Immersion tests often require multiple (sometimes hundreds) of test cycles with periods of exposure. Simpler versions of this approach only expose a portion of a surface to corrosive elements, which can be necessary for larger metal objects.
Let’s take a look at some of the different immersive corrosion tests you should consider completing for your next project.
Salt Spray Test
A salt spray test introduces a surface to a high saline environment (typically, a 5% NaCl solution). A salt spray test is useful to conduct when you want to know how fast paints and sealants will wear off when exposed to salt in the air, or when in contact with salt water. The quantity of salt should be determined based on the specific metal or coating you’re testing against. This is one of the oldest and most widely-used corrosion tests; it’s simple to conduct, and salt is one of the most common reasons a coating could deteriorate and expose a metal surface.
Humidity Test
In this test, your metal object will be exposed to high heat and high humidity to measure its rate of corrosion. This is an important test to carry out if your object might be residing in damp areas or those prone to dampness, as well as those that might be outside in regions that experience high humidity. With the results of a humidity test, you can then plan to use the appropriate paints and coats to protect your metal against humidity, and extend the lifetime of your product.
Hot Wall Test
This test is for metal vessels powered by external sources and come contact with high temperature solutions. A water heater is one such example. This test determines the extent to which the object is impacted by surrounding temperatures. If the temperature of the metal object itself rises significantly when exposed to hot temperatures or temperatures that fluctuate, it’s a sign the object is more vulnerable to corrosion.
For each of these corrosion tests, a high degree of control and accuracy is required. For this reason, it’s a good idea to seek out a professional to carry out your testing! The experts at Kramer Industries are the perfect professionals to help you address corrosion testing and other surface finishing issues .