Last updated on July 27th, 2022 at 09:58 am
A sacrificial anode is a metal or alloy attached to the hull with a more positive polarity, i.e. less honorable. It is more potent than iron when immersed in seawater. These anodes supply cathodic protection current but will be used to do so. Therefore, it is necessary to change the protection to maintain it. Sacrificial Anodes India is used to protect metal structures from corrosion. It works by oxidizing faster than the protective metal and is consumed completely before other metals react with the electrolyte.
What materials are used for sacrificial anodes?
The material used for the sacrificial anode can be a relatively pure metal such as zinc, magnesium, or aluminium alloy specifically developed for use as a sacrificial anode. In applications where the anode is embedded, a special substitute material surrounds the anode to ensure that the anode produces the desired output. This is because the sacrificial anode works by introducing another metal surface that has a more excellent cathode surface and more anodes. The current flows from the newly released anode, and the shielded metal becomes the cathodic forming the galvanic cell. The oxidation reaction is transferred from the metal surface to the anode of the electrode and is sacrificed for the benefit of the protected metal structure.
How to put a sacrificial anode?
Usually, sacrificial anodes are supplied with lead wires or moulded harnesses for easy connection to the protected structure. The lead wire may be attached to the structure by welding or mechanical connection. These should have low resistance and should be insulated to prevent increased resistance or damage due to corrosion. When using anodes with moulded straps, the strap can be directly welded to the structure, or the strap can be used as a mounting location.
Adequate bonding mechanically with low resistance is required for good protection and resistance to mechanical damage. In the electron supply process for cathodic protection of less reactive metals, the more active metal (anode) is sacrificed to protect the less active metal (cathode). The amount of corrosion depends on the metal used as the anode but will be directly proportional to the amount of electricity supplied.
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What is the impact of the sacrificial anode in cathodic protection?
Corrosion is the process of bringing metal back to its natural state as a mineral. This causes the metal to decay, and the structure of the metal weakens. These metal surfaces are used from water pipes to buildings to boats, and it is essential to ensure these metals last as long as possible. Therefore, something called cathode protection is required. The Sacrificial Anodes India is one of many forms of cathode protection.
Metals in seawater are one example where ferrous metals come into contact with electrolytes. Under normal circumstances, ferrous metal reacts with the electrolyte and begins to corrode. This weakens the structure and decays. The addition of zinc as a sacrificial anode prevents iron from “corroding.” the standard reduction potential of zinc is about -0.76 V. The standard reduction potential of steel is -0.44 V. The difference in reducing potential means that zinc oxidizes much faster than iron. In fact, the zinc is completely oxidized before the iron begins to react.
