What is Galvanization?

Answer :- Atmospheric corrosion of steel and iron objects is common due to atmospheric reactions. A few procedures are used to prevent rusting. One of them is galvanization.

Galvanization is the process of coating a metal with a protective layer of zinc. It is a standard way of protecting iron from rusting. This can be accomplished by immersing the metal to be protected in molten zinc or electroplating it.

It has been proven for 150 years that coating iron and steel with molten zinc protects them from corrosion.

The zinc coating protects the part’s surface from the elements, preventing corrosion and weathering.

How does it assist?

Galvanization extends the life of steel parts by establishing a membrane between the metal and the air, which prevents iron oxide from developing on the steel layer. Galvanization also provides greater corrosion protection to parts that are exposed to the elements.

The steps of the procedure are:

There are three essential processes in the galvanizing process:

1. Surface preparation
2. Fuxing
3. Galvanizing.

Material is put into jigs before being immersed in molten zinc at around 450°F until it reaches the same temperature as zinc. The molten zinc reacts with the steel surface to form a sequence of zinc/iron alloys during this process.

Advantages Of Galvanizing:-

• It prevents corrosion on metals
• aids in maintaining the vehicle’s structural integrity
• It adds rigidity and strength
• It extends the metal’s lifespan
• reduces stress on parts exposed to high-temperature environments or corrosive chemicals during manufacturing operations, improving durability
• Acidic compounds such as hydrochloric acid or sulphuric acid have no effect on galvanized steel
• reduces costs by extending the component’s product life cycle, reducing the requirement for rework or replacement of damaged parts

Disadvantages Of Galvanizing:-

1. A magnet can be used to remove the zinc covering, which will cause the steel underlying to rust. To avoid this, cover the steel with a coating of plastic or fiberglass to keep it from rusting.
2. The galvanized coating can readily chip off, resulting in an uneven surface that can lead to corrosion and even death.
3. Galvanized surfaces are extremely hard and durable, making them unsuitable for applications that require flexibility. This indicates that welding would be tough.
4. It took a qualified expert with knowledge in restoring galvanized coatings as well as products related to steel, such as steel wire fencing, to repair galvanized coatings.