Galvanic corrosion occurs when two dissimilar metals are in electrical contact in the presence of a aqueous solution that causes general corrosion of both metal. In this situation, the corrosion rate of the metal with the more active electrode potential is accelerated. The driving force for galvanic corrosion is the difference in electrode potentials between the two metals.
An example of two dissimilar metals in contact is stainless steel bolts holding a carbon steel plate in place and exposed to rain. Carbon steel is more electrochemically active than stainless steel. So, in the galvanic corrosion cell that forms between the metals when they are exposed to a corrosive environment, the carbon steel plate will undergo accelerated attack due to galvanic corrosion.
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Watch our Galvanic Corrosion video course to learn more. Here are the topics covered:
If you're facing corrosion problems, it's crucial to understand the details of the specific corrosion mechanism. The Galvanic Corrosion video course provides valuable insights into galvanic corrosion, a common form of metal degradation. Learning the facts and details of how galvanic corrosion occurs and how to prevent it, will give engineers the tools to implement effective solutions that result in improved product, equipment, and structure reliability. Knowledge is a powerful tool.
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Michael Pfeifer, Ph.D., P.E. is President of Industrial Metallurgists and a metallurgical engineering consultant with more than 30 years of experience in product design, manufacturing, failure analysis, and metallurgy training. He helps clients worldwide solve design and manufacturing problems and is the author of Materials Enabled Designs.
