Galvanized steel sheets are coated with zinc to prevent corrosion caused by exposure to other metals or oxygen and water. The coating can deteriorate over time, but painting can provide protection.
A galvanized steel sheet is steel sheet that has been galvanized to help prevent corrosion. These sheets can be used in a variety of applications including furniture, automotive or in making toolboxes. The process is done to help the steel prevent corrosion caused by exposure to other metals in the presence of an electrolyte or to oxygen and water. By putting a barrier to coat the steel, a galvanized steel sheet is better able to resist the destructive forces acting against it. It should be noted, however, that this coating can deteriorate over time.
The effects of corrosion can be observed in many circumstances. For example, a metal bucket can start to rust and deteriorate. Rust is a form of corrosion that occurs when certain metals are oxidized. If this reaction is allowed to continue, it can deteriorate a metal structure. Iron, one of the main components of steel, is prone to corrosion and therefore steel generally needs to be coated with a substance to prevent this phenomenon.
The manufacturing process of a galvanized steel sheet usually involves nothing more than dipping that sheet into very hot zinc. After the steel has been galvanized, the zinc coating will react with oxygen to create zinc oxide, which further reacts with water, producing zinc hydroxide. Over time, the zinc hydroxide will react with the carbon dioxide and form zinc carbonate, a gray layer that helps slow the zinc’s reaction rate and helps protect the steel. The galvanizing process can also cause spangles on the surface of the steel. Spangle is the term used to describe the pattern that zinc grains can form on the surface of a galvanized steel plate.
A galvanized coating is not a permanent solution. The protective layer of a galvanized steel sheet eventually corrodes, leaving the steel unprotected and prone to oxidation. In these cases there is a simple solution to help keep the steel plates protected: painting. The paint can provide the protection that the galvanized coating used to provide to the sheet metal. It should be noted that the paint may not provide as good a protective barrier as a galvanized coating, but it does provide a barrier between the steel and the elements to help stop the steel from corroding.
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