When two dissimilar metals are brought into electrical contact, Galvanic Corrosion occurs. The electrical contact of these two metals changes their individual corrosion rates. One of the dissimilar metals corrodes faster than it normally would by itself, while the other dissimilar metal corrodes slower than it would by itself.
There are different weathering environments that can cause galvanic corrosion such as water, heat, humidity, and more. Other factures besides weathering environments can also play into the effects that cause galvanic corrosion such as the way they are assembled, what metals are involved, and more.
A great example of Galvanic Corrosion is the Statue of Liberty. In the 1980s during a regular maintenance check revealed that corrosion had accrued between the copper outer skin and the wrought iron support structure.
Corrosion can also occur with dissimilar metals on a vehicle. When you have a spare tire that is located under a vehicle, the spare tire is mounted in a heat resistant shield. That shield is then mounted to the frame under a vehicle. The heat resistant shield and frame of the vehicle are two different metals. The mount where these two are mounted together can develop galvanic corrosion. There are solutions to prevent this from occurring.
Whitlam’s engineering team has developed various solutions to help eliminate galvanic corrosion. With our In-House lab and R&D team we can test products and come up with the best solution for your products need. At Whitlam our goal is to make the tough stuff easy.
Let us help you; contact us today for more information.