Material selection is a critical part of any manufacturing process. Selecting the correct material is important because the material determines the chemical and mechanical properties of the part being manufactured, can significantly affect the life of the part, and ensure that the part will function properly. Corrosion-resistant materials play an important role in manufacturing because of their material properties and their lack of reactivity to harsh environmental conditions and chemicals.

Options Of Corrosion Resistant Material

Not all metals contain iron, but they can rust or tarnish in other oxidation reactions. To prevent oxidation and decomposition of metal products such as handrails, water tanks, appliances, roofing or siding, you can choose metals that are "rust-resistant" or more precisely "corrosion-resistant." Four basic types of metals fall into this category:

Stainless steel

The most common corrosion-resistant alloys, stainless steel, contain at least 10.5% chromium. Chromium forms a corrosion-resistant, self-healing oxide layer. Many other performance and appearance characteristics distinguish stainless steel from other ferroalloys. Nonetheless, care must be taken when selecting grades, as even trace amounts of certain elements can affect corrosion resistance and therefore stainless steel corrosion may occur.

Aluminum Metal

Aluminum is used in many aircraft, car and bicycle parts due to its light weight and corrosion resistance. Aluminum alloys contain almost no iron, without iron, the metal will not rust, but will oxidize. After the alloy encounters water, an aluminum oxide film is rapidly formed on the surface. A hard oxide layer resists further corrosion and protects the underlying metal.

Galvanised Coil

Galvanized steel takes a long time to rust, but will eventually rust. This type is galvanized or carbon steel coated with a thin layer of zinc. Zinc acts as a barrier to prevent oxygen and water from entering the steel, providing advanced corrosion protection. Even if the zinc coating is scraped off, it protects nearby areas of the underlying steel by cathodic protection and the formation of a protective layer of zinc oxide. Like aluminum, zinc is highly reactive to oxygen in the presence of moisture, and this coating prevents further oxidation of the iron in the steel.

Corrosion resistance is a highly desirable property, especially in the semiconductor, power, aerospace and automotive industries. With a variety of corrosion-resistant materials available, product teams must exercise due diligence during the material selection process to ensure their unique project requirements are met.

We offer a variety of rust-resistant metals such as galvanized zinc sheet, stainless steel and galvalume steel for a variety of applications, helping each customer choose corrosion-resistant materials that will protect their parts over the long term. Contact us today to get started.