What Does
Corrosion Engineering Mean?
Corrosion engineering is the discipline of applying specialized scientific knowledge and the latest technology within several fields and laws of nature, in order to design, develop and implement solutions involving:
- Systems
- Structures
- Equipment and devices
- Materials
- Knowhow
- Procedures
This is used to monitor and prevent material deterioration and damage of solid material surfaces, due to electrochemical and chemical reactions known as corrosion.
The discipline of corrosion engineering is important because deterioration and disintegration of vital structures, pipelines and other productive assets affect the safety of people and reliability of the industry and the economy worldwide.
Corrosionpedia Explains Corrosion Engineering
Corrosion engineering combines the knowledge of several fields, including:
- Chemical engineering
- Mechanical engineering
- Material science
- Metallurgy
- Electronic engineering
It is closely related to material science and metallurgy, and deals with corrosion of engineering materials as well as construction materials, which include:
- Ceramics
- Concrete
- Plastics
- Other non-metals
Corrosion engineers sometimes study physical damage such as thermal cracking, erosion and brittle fracture, which are not related to corrosion, but may cause corrosion concurrently.
Corrosion engineering professional bodies are active in most parts of the world, creating awareness as well as monitoring and preventing corrosion damage in critical infrastructure. The National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) is one such example.
The corrosion engineers' main objective is to study, measure, monitor, control and prevent corrosion processes, economically and safely. Many academic institutions offer a post-graduate degree or diploma in corrosion engineering.