Hot-dip galvanizing deposits a thick robust layer of zinc iron alloys on the surface of a steel item. In the case of automobile bodies, where additional decorative coatings of paint will be applied, a thinner form of galvanizing is applied by electrogalvanizing. The hot-dip process generally does not reduce strength on a measurable scale,[3] with the exception of high-strength steels (>1100 MPa) where hydrogen embrittlement can become a problem.[4][5] This deficiency is a consideration affecting the manufacture of wire rope and other highly-stressed products.
Although galvanizing will inhibit attack of the underlying steel, rusting will be inevitable after some decades of exposure to weather, especially if exposed to acidic conditions
Galvanized steel can last for many decades if other supplementary measures are maintained, such as paint coatings and additional sacrificial anodes
In the early 20th century, galvanized piping replaced previously-used cast iron and lead in cold-water plumbing. Typically, galvanized piping rusts from the inside out, building up layers of plaque on the inside of the piping
This page was last modified on 17 February 2017, at 09:50.
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