What Is Corrosion?
The National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) defines corrosion as “the deterioration of a material, usually a metal, that results from a reaction with its environment.”
The basic cause of corrosion is the instability of metals in their refined forms – metals tend to revert to their natural states through the processes of corrosion. A common example can be seen in the case of iron. When rainwater comes in contact with iron, it forms rust. This rust, or iron oxide, is the original state of iron found in iron ore.
Corrosion & Maritime Industry
A recent study by the Federal Highway Administration estimated that corrosion costs U.S. industry and government agencies an estimated $276 billion dollars per year.
Since marine structures and vessels are routinely exposed to the most corrosive environments, corrosion control is of great concern to the maritime industry.
