Corrosion inhibitors: How to select the right grade for coatings?

The coating itself plays an important role in corrosion protection. Using corrosion inhibitors improves this property considerably. 

Corrosion inhibitors are chemical substances that are added to coatings to prevent or reduce the rate of corrosion on metal surfaces. They can be used alone like in clearcoats or in synergy with anti-corrosive pigments.

Key features of corrosion inhibitors include:
 

• Improves the corrosion resistance of the paint
• Reduce the amount of anti-corrosion pigments
• Provide cost-effective and environmentally friendly options

Before diving deep into the types of corrosion inhibitors, let's understand corrosion in coatings first.


 

Mechanism of corrosion in coatings

Corrosion is an oxidation-reduction reaction in the presence of an electrolyte, leading to deterioration of metal. The conductivity of the electrolyte is crucial. The higher the conductivity, faster the corrosion.

Typically, for ferrous materials such as iron and steel, corrosion is also called 'rust'. That is why rust develops faster in salt water than in pure water. 

The corrosion of a metallic part can have adverse effects such as:
 

• Change the surface aspect
• Weaken its properties
• Damage the adjacent parts

Apart from color and appearance change, it can weaken the structure/destroy the structure itself. 

 

Rust appearing on a painted surface of a ship

 

In coatings, electrochemical corrosion is predominant. It is the combination of two conductors (electrodes) with an aqueous electrolyte solution. The metal with more negative potential will be the anode and will corrode, where the one with more positive potential will be the cathode. Then occurs an oxido-reduction reaction, in the electrolyte solution.

But corrosion can also occur in the same metal system, where differences of potential exist on the surface. These differences of potential can come from heterogeneous chemical composition like:
 

• Differences in the coating layer
• Contamination
• Scratches
• Pinholes…

In iron, corrosion occurs when different parts of the surface creating anode and cathode, are exposed to electrolyte solution. Without any electrolyte, the corrosion is strongly reduced. In other words, salted atmosphere (like marine conditions) are more aggressive than non-polluted atmosphere. In pure water, corrosion is nonexistent.

 

Electrochemical corrosion of iron

Factor influencing corrosion of coatings

Besides this corrosion reaction, many other factors may influence the corrosion of the coating, such as:
 

• Surface quality: Heterogeneous surface will increase the risk of corrosion. Treated surface will prevent it. Before the coating application, the surface must be free of contamination.

• Adhesion of the coating layer: Coating will form a protective barrier on the metal surface. Lack of adhesion will be weak points with a high risk of corrosion development. A perfect surface wetting is required.

• Quality of the coating layer: Pinholes, craters and other surface defects will also weaken the metal protection.

When does corrosion occur?

The corrosion risk is present all along the coating life, from the storage of the liquid paint itself (in-can corrosion) to the application (flash rusting) and many years later (long-term corrosion): 

Storage - In-can corrosion Critical for waterborne coatings. During the storage, the paint is directly in contact with the iron can, provoking the corrosion.

Application - Flash rusting with waterborne paint The waterborne paint is applied directly to the metal. Appears shortly after the application, caused by the migration of rust through the film. Also, application of the paint on a rust contaminated substrate can be a source of corrosion.

Paint and substrate aging - Long-term corrosion Aggressive environment, pollution, weathering can weaken the paint film and increase the risk of corrosion development. The paint protective barrier deteriorates and weak points appear. Besides, the no protected substrate parts can be attacked by the corrosion.

Strategies to control substrate corrosion

The corrosion control involves natural chemical reactions between the metallic substrate and its environment. There are some solutions to control and reduce corrosion development:
 

• Modify the metal properties: Pre-treatments improve the corrosion resistance of the metal.
   
• Change to non-metallic materials: But, this cannot fulfill all the final product requirement.
   
• Impose an electric current to supply electrons: Expensive and not always realizable!
   
• Use a sacrificial anode: A paint formulation rich in protective pigments based on zinc.
   
• Use anticorrosive pigments: The most common solution, anticorrosive pigments will chemically passivate the metallic surface in time (especially chromates, phosphates and molybdates). And can act as sacrificial pigments when combined with zinc oxide, like corrosion inhibitor zinc phosphate. But some of these pigments tend to be environmentally unfriendly.
   

• Use an organic corrosion inhibitor agent: Based on various structures, such as amine, acid, polymers, salts, these products will form a protective barrier on the metal surface and break the chemical reaction, preventing the rust to develop. The passivating layer prevents the metal to be oxidized.
  
   

  

  
  Mechanism of organic corrosion inhibitors

  
  

Corrosion inhibitors work by various mechanisms to disrupt the electrochemical process that causes corrosion. The corrosion inhibitor can form a protective layer at the metal surface by:
 

• Chemical adsorption
• Ionic combination
• Oxidation of the base metal (especially with Aluminum)

The corrosion control inhibitor can make a complex with a potential corrosive component and neutralize the corrosion reaction. The two main types of corrosion inhibitors are mentioned below.


 

Flash rust inhibitors

Waterborne coatings are more sensitive to corrosion, as they involve water. Also, many metal cations (such as Fe²⁺, Iron II) are soluble in water. Flash rusting, a fast corrosion development that appears only with waterborne coatings applied directly on metal, when the paint layer is still wet, is a typical example.

Waterborne coatings are applied on metal when the paint layer is still wet - a typical victim of flash rusting. Waterborne coatings in contact with metal, pose a high risk of flash rusting and in-can corrosion. Thus, it becomes necessary to use a flash rust inhibitor.

Most flash rust inhibitors contain sodium nitrite (toxic corrosion inhibitors). Nitrite-free inhibitors are also available. They must be used at higher dosage (up to 1.5% on total formulation). 

Eco-friendlier borate and nitrite free versions replace the ones that are water soluble / dispersible and sodium nitrites based. Most of the products in the market have a dosage level between 0.2% to 1.5% (delivery form on total formulation) to have a significant effect on the in-can corrosion and flash rusting. 

 

Long-term corrosion protectors

 Apart from anti-corrosion pigments, liquid organic corrosion inhibitors also provide long-term corrosion protection by inhibitors. Liquid corrosion inhibitors work in synergy with the anti-corrosion pigments.

As corrosion reaction is an oxidation–reduction chemical process, the required corrosion inhibitor metal variant can be first selected using the chemical standard reduction potential. This scale is a first approach, as values are based on measurements in aqueous solution at 25°C, which is not the ideal case of all coatings! 

Then it becomes easy to select a metal version of the inhibitors of corrosion:
 

• First selection choice will be a corrosion inhibitor based on Barium.
• In case of Zinc based anti-corrosion pigments: Zinc based corrosion inhibitor
• In case of new and less toxic corrosion inhibitors pigments: Magnesium based corrosion inhibitor
• Amine and Polymeric based corrosion inhibitor for a metal-free alternative

For long-term corrosion inhibitor selection, the type and dosage of the agent is influenced by:
 

• The type of metal to be protected
• The protection effectiveness in time under defined condition
• The presence and effectiveness of anti-corrosive pigments
• The global cost formulation
• The environmental, health and safety restrictions

Select commercially available corrosion inhibitors listed in our Master Catalog, with easy sample requests and quick access to technical data.
 

Also, there are variety of pigments available with their anti-corrosive benefits. Let's have a look: 


 

Barrier pigments

Many pigments operate mainly by offering "passive protection", enhancing the barrier effect of the coating. The widely used barrier pigments include: 
 

1. Mica is almost totally inert
2. Aluminum flake is sensitive to moisture and alkaline conditions
3. Stainless steel flake finds some applications but is relatively expensive
4. Glass flake is popular in high-build coatings for heavy-duty application
5. Micaceous iron oxide (MIO) is a highly effective anticorrosive pigment

Their effectiveness depends on the fact that they have a lamellar, flake form and will normally align themselves more or less parallel to the surface of the coating. This reduces water and ionic permeability by forcing ions or water molecules to take an indirect path from surface to substrate as shown in the figure below:

 

Lamellar extender (Top) showing barrier effect reducing moisture penetration,
with near spherical particles (below) for comparison

Talc, usually classed as an "extender" rather than a primary pigment, is also commonly found in anticorrosive paints because it is both highly inert and has a lamellar form. MIO is currently a trend to blend this material with non-lamellar MIO which can be readily obtained for a tenth of the price.


 

Active protection pigments

Zinc phosphate

 Zinc phosphate has established a strong position as an active pigment in anticorrosive primers. It is considered to have three protective mechanisms:
 

• Formation of a protective anodic film
• Phosphate ion donation to the substrate
• Formation of anticorrosive complexes with certain binders

Zinc phosphate modifications include Aluminum zinc phosphate, Zinc molybdate phosphate and Zinc silicophosphate hydrate. Select ideal corrosion inhibitors based on zinc phosphates on our platform.


 

Calcium modified silica gels

Calcium modified silica gels represent ecofriendly corrosion inhibitors. The pigment is heavy-metal free, non-toxic, micronized, amorphous particles that offer an alternative to government non-compliant, anti-corrosive agents. Calcium modified silica gel is slightly alkaline (pH 9-10) and is manufactured via an ion-exchange reaction at the surface of silica gel between weakly acidic silanol groups and calcium hydroxide. Calcium modified silica gel is a porous solid having a low density and high surface area compared to heavy metal anti-corrosive pigments. 

Therefore, the amount of calcium modified silica gel required to provide anti-corrosive protection is significantly less compared to heavy metal containing anti-corrosive agents. Calcium modified silica gel protects metal surfaces through a mechanism by which calcium ions and soluble silica species diffuse. And develop cathode and anode sites and suppress the corrosion process. Calcium modified silica gel is generally used for coil coatings and thin-film applications.


 

Calcium strontium phosphosilicate

Calcium strontium phosphosilicate is a relatively new zinc-free anti-corrosive pigment and is considered more environmentally friendly than corrosion inhibitor zinc phosphate. Treating the surface of calcium strontium phosphosilicate with specially designed organic compounds improves the wetting and compatibility with different coating compositions. Moreover, calcium strontium phosphosilicate can also be used in a wide variety of water and solvent-based coating systems. 


 

Aluminum phosphate

Aluminum phosphate used as an anti-corrosive pigment is aluminum tripolyphosphate (Al₅P₃O₁₀). Aluminum tripolyphosphate is considered to be an environmental friendly pigment and has been available for use as a low cost anti-corrosive pigment since the mid-1980s. Aluminum tripolyphosphate can be used in a wide variety of solvent-based coating systems as well as water-based coatings. It also has been found to be useful in heat resistant coatings. 


 

Conductive polymers

Inherently conductive polymers, of which the most widely known is polyaniline, are a truly modern development. And among their many applications they have been found to have a dual anti-corrosive effect:
 

• A catalytic reaction with steel produces a thin, dense layer of Fe₂O₃ oxide, which has a barrier effect similar to that of the Al₂O₃ layer that forms naturally on aluminum
• A cathodic protection mechanism which is similar to that offered by corrosion inhibitor zinc

Thus, the polyaniline must be in direct contact with the metallic substrate in order to be effective. It has been shown to work well as a thin film pre-treatment under other anti-corrosive paints, and has been commercialized in the form of primers. These primers are claimed to outperform zinc-rich primers when overcoated with epoxies, being able to protect the surface even when coating damage extends to a 2 mm wide scratch. 

 

Conductive polymers used in anticorrosive paints

It has been further claimed in a patent that this level of protection can be enhanced by incorporating sacrificial anodic metal or metal alloy particles along with inherently conductive polymers such as polyaniline. In this way both barrier and anodic protection systems are applied in a single coating.


 

Other protective elements & compounds

A number of elements and compounds may be considered to exert some protective effect against corrosion. And this has led to the evolution of a wide range of pigments which turn out, on examination, to feature the same relatively small range of protective materials in different combinations. Some further examples (necessarily incomplete) may be briefly mentioned:
 

• Molybdates are effective but expensive, and so usually found in the form of compounds that incorporate other anti-corrosive elements such as zinc molybdate, calcium zinc molybdate and zinc molybdate phosphate.

• Aluminum tripolyphosphate (also available in forms modified with zinc ions or silicate) - the tripolyphosphate ion is able to chelate iron ions, in addition to the protective effect of the phosphate itself.

• Phosphosilicates may be found in the form of combinations such as calcium borosilicate, calcium barium phosphosilicate, calcium strontium zinc phosphosilicate, strontium phosphosilicate, and barium phosphosilicate.

• An oxyaminophosphate salt of magnesium is offered commercially, though it is recommended only for use in solvent-borne primers. With a relatively low specific gravity of 2.2, it can be used at a lower weight addition than zinc-based pigments.

Select ideal anti-corrosive pigment grades from our Master Catalog, request samples, and download technical data with ease.
 

Based on the risk of corrosion, which inhibitor would you choose?

We can summarize the risk of corrosion and how to improve the corrosion resistance from the formulation side:

 

Understanding corrosion inhibitors is important, but proper substrate preparation is just as crucial for lasting protection.  

When coatings are used as the means of reducing corrosion, it is essential that the coating adheres very tightly to the surface. For maximum adhesion, the substrate must be prepared correctly. Different types of substrate pre-treatments include:


 

Conversion coatings

The conversion coating acts as an excellent base for paints and at the same time provides excellent corrosion protection. A conversion coating is a slightly acidic aqueous solution (water-based) of chemicals.

Iron or zinc phosphates are the most common chemicals in the formulation, although other chemical salts are also added to perform various functions. The metal is usually immersed in a tank containing the solution. While immersing the metal dissolves very slightly and the phosphate actually plates out onto the clean metal. 


 

Wash primers

Wash primers are applied to the surface before coating: 
 

• To passivate the surface and temporarily provide corrosion resistance
• To provide an adhesive base for the next coating

Electrocoating (OEM process)

Electrocoating employs an electric current to deposit an organic finishing process that uniformly applies thin-film primers and one-coat finishes to metallic substrates.

Four steps are involved in the electrocoating process:

 

Main primers

Primers are used to 'seal' the surface so that the solvents or water of topcoats will be able to evaporate away as they were designed to barrier the oxygen, moisture, and corrosive compounds at the metal surface. 
 

Once the inhibitors are in place, it’s important to know how their performance is tested.