ICorr Wales & South-West England Branch
Room 010 Engineering North, Bay Campus, Swansea University, Fabian Way, Crymlyn Burrows, Skewen, Swansea SA1 8EN

 Thursday 20^th November 2025, Start Time: 11:30am (UK Time)

 In-Person Presentation only.

 For Registration (use LINK): Event Registration

Event is Free of Charge to attend.

Corrosion Myths and Realities: Separating Misconceptions from Evidence &

Understanding Cut-edge Corrosion of Model Coatings on Different Grades of Galvanised Steel.

Speakers: Rachael Piper, R-TECH
Thomas Michael, Swansea University

 Event Programme:

11.30 – 12:00: Arrival / Networking / Refreshments
12:00 – 12:10: Introductions
12:10 – 12:40: Technical Presentation – Rachael Piper
12:40 – 13:10: Technical Presentation – Thomas Michael
13:10 – 13:20: Q&A
13:20 – 14:00: Networking / Depart

The Talks: Corrosion Myths and Realities: Separating Misconceptions from Evidence

Corrosion still remains one of the most misunderstood phenomena in industrial and infrastructure contexts, often resulting in inadequate maintenance practices, unexpected failures, and unnecessary costs. This presentation explores the widespread misconceptions surrounding corrosion, examining why they are inaccurate and highlighting the underlying principles that govern material degradation. Through a series of carefully selected case studies, the presentation demonstrates how these misconceptions can lead to misjudgements in design, material selection, and preventive strategies.

The discussion emphasises that corrosion is a complex electrochemical process influenced by multiple interacting factors, rather than a simple, predictable outcome of environmental exposure. By analysing real-world scenarios, the presentation reveals how assumptions about corrosion behaviour can diverge significantly from observed outcomes, underlining the importance of evidence-based assessment.

RAchael earned her Master’s degree in Materials Engineering from Swansea University and is now a Materials Scientist at R-TECH Materials in Port Talbot. She specialises in materials-based investigations across a diverse range of metals, alloys, composites, and plastics, providing insights that support industries from petrochemical and oil & gas to marine and automotive. Her work combines technical expertise with practical problem-solving to address complex materials challenges in real-world applications.

Understanding Cut-edge Corrosion of Model Coatings on Different Grades of Galvanized Steel.

The primary objective of this work was to identify and characterise the mechanisms and the kinetics of cut-edge corrosion of hot dipped galvanized steel (HDG) in comparison to new alloy coatings containing Zn, Al (55 wt%) and Mg (up to 2wt.%). The understanding of the cut-edge corrosion behaviour of new metallic coatings is critically important due to their ubiquitous use in steel construction products, especially those with organic coatings, in addition to aligning with the growing initiative for renewability & sustainability in the modern world. To do this we studied the cut-edge properties of various galvanized steel panels under a protective Polyvinylbutyral (PVB) coating to ascertain the fundamental mechanisms of their corrosion. Each galvanized substrate was coated with a 25 µm thick PVB coating with a 1 mm diameter through coating circular defect created down to both the galvanizing layer and bare Fe metal of each material. These samples were then cycled through controlled environments with adjusted variables of temperature, exposure time and electrolyte concentration. An example being placed in a controlled environment of 23.5oC with a relative humidity of 80% and a droplet of 5 wt.% NaCl applied over the defect area and was observed every 3 days for a total period of 30 days. We found that HDG showcased a consistent and rapid rate of corrosion throughout, with severe delamination and corrosion occurring between the exposed HDG layer and PVB interface. Conversely the Al and Al/Mg containing samples showed different behaviour as the initial rate of corrosion was many times lower than the HDG samples, with corrosion product visible only after multiple days of exposure.

Both Al containing coatings also displayed minimal delamination of the PVB later when exposed for the same length of time under similar conditions. Considering the two Al containing materials, the initial corrosion rate of the Mg containing coating was higher than that of its counterpart, however, it later displayed a rapid decrease in the corrosion rate. The addition of Al and Mg reduces the cut-edge corrosion in comparison to HDG in systems with a model organic coating providing initial insights for further coating studies with multi-layer commercial paint systems.

Thomas Michael is a Swansea University post-graduate researcher in collaboration with AkzoNobel, specialising in research regarding both corrosion mechanisms & organic coating systems for steel substrates. He graduated from Swansea University in 2023 with a degree in Material Science & Engineering and has an extensive family background in scientific fields. Outside of work he can be found modifying computers or participating in large scale group puzzle activities.

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