Is there any benefit in using cathodic protection and/or sacrificial anodes to reduce corrosion in steel in the (non-marine) atmosphere rather than undrwater or embeddded in concrete?
This would be to support the protection offered by galvanisation
If YES, what sort of voltages/currents are required?
A pointer (or pointers) to published works would be most appreciated
Kind regards
Dr B
Already protection of steel by giving a coat of Zinc chromate is in practice. Cathodic protection can also be done.
Dear Dr. John Bullas,
all cathodic protection systems require an anode, a cathode, an electric circuit between the anode and cathode, and an electrolyte. Thus, cathodic protection will not work on structures exposed to air environments. The air is a poor electrolyte, and this is the weak point.
As already stated by Dr. Seshadri Sekhar Ni, already the galvanizing process has this purpose. In case of damage to the structure it acts locally (and protective (as an anode) avoiding further degradation with respect to the substrate.
Only one reference, but is possible to find more:
Corrosion Prevention of Magnesium Alloys
1 - Corrosion behavior and prevention strategies for magnesium (Mg) alloys
G.-L.Song
Woodhead Publishing Series in Metals and Surface Engineering
Pages 3-37 (2013)
Best regards, Pierluigi Traverso
Dear
Cathodic protection can save the reinforcing steel bars inside the concrete against the impact of salt attack especially the chloride. it is adopted because there is no other way to protect the reinforcement. on the other hand, for steel structures in the (non-marine) atmosphere, no similar problem exists and the protection of the steel section will be assured with various types of paint.
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