Kerry Pianoforte, Editor
The basic function of any paint or coating is to protect the substrate underneath from degradation and corrosion. Corrosion control is especially important when dealing
with high-value assets, such as offshore oil rigs and other industrial structures, which must withstand harsh environmental
conditions such as salt water and intense temperatures.
According to NACE International, a global leader in developing corrosion prevention and control standards, certification
and education, the total annual U.S. cost for organic and metallic protective coatings is $108.6 billion. The organization stated
that fifty percent of all corrosion costs are preventable, and approximately 85 percent of these are in the area of coatings.
Protecting a substrate from corrosion is one of the most
important functions of coatings. Much care must be put into
selecting the proper coating to meet the individual performance
goals of the customer.
“Each application presents different challenges and the
choice of technology will depend greatly on the operational en-
vironment,” said Bas Hesselink, technical manager - Protective
Coatings at AkzoNobel.
AkzoNobel offers a full range of anticorrosive technologies,
including polyurea-based direct-to-metal systems for general
exterior use, zinc-based epoxy systems for more corrosive en-vironements, epoxy high-build barrier coatings for aggressive
environments such as offshore structures, and highly specialized
coatings such as temperature-resistant silicone based systems for
Meeting corrosion protection goals is a tough job. These coatings must be carefully
applied to high-value assets under some very challenging conditions.
Corrosion Control
Photo courtesy of AkzoNobel
