Materials Engineering: Fully Funded EPSRC PHD Scholarship Swansea University

Materials Engineering: Fully Funded EPSRC PHD Scholarship: Novel Coatings for the Prevention of Cut Edge Corrosion on Galvanised Steel Galvanizing is a widely used, economical and durable method to protect steel from corrosion and continues to offer a sustainable option for significantly extending the life of steel products. Galvanized steel has broad range of applications that affect our daily lives including both automotive and construction sectors. The galvanic protection principle is based on the electrochemical relationship between steel and the zinc layer. The zinc coating acts as a sacrificial (anode) to protect the of steel (cathode) by oxidation from corrosion. For economic reasons, manufacturers reduce the weight and develop new types of sacrificial zinc (alloy) metal coatings. Introduction of these new coatings results in inconsistent corrosion performance between steel products of different manufacturers. Cut-edge corrosion protection is a major challenge for the industry, especially in C4/C5 (severe) exposure environments. This PhD aims to understand the corrosion mechanisms of cut-edge corrosion and corrosion resistance of new grades of coated galvanized steel substrates. Understanding the corrosion mechanisms will lead to new strategies for the protection of these substrates in severe environments using active protective coatings.