What Does
Accelerated Corrosion Test (ACT) Mean?
An accelerated corrosion test (ACT) consists of testing techniques performed through acceleration of corrosion. This technique was developed to give better correlation between:
- Accelerated tests
- Field tests
- Actual service conditions
An accelerated corrosion test is a necessary and powerful tool when used in:
- Material selection as a relative indicator of corrosion resistance
- Examining potential environments for new materials
- Determining corrosion control strategies of fielded items
Corrosionpedia Explains Accelerated Corrosion Test (ACT)
An accelerated corrosion test is a cyclic climate test for determination of the corrosion resistance of various types of coatings. In an accelerated corrosion test, corrosion, degradation or failure of materials and products are induced without change in corrosion mechanism(s) in a shorter time period than under normal conditions.
The salt spray test is an accelerated corrosion test that produces a corrosive attack to the coated samples in order to predict its suitability in use as a protective finish. The appearance of corrosion products (oxides) is evaluated after a period of time. Test duration depends on the corrosion resistance of the coating – the more corrosion resistant the coating is, the longer the period in testing without showing signs of corrosion.
Standard corrosion testing can consume enormous blocks of time, whereas ACT needs significantly less time. Under the right conditions, accelerated testing may yield data beneficial in selecting the most corrosion-resistant materials for an application.
Accelerated testing is not limited to the design stage of a system's life cycle, but can be used to provide in-field support, as the emergence of sudden corrosion problems on fielded systems requires quick answers.
These tests are typically qualitative, and the information obtained from them is best used to select the most appropriate materials for use in specific applications.
The results of accelerated testing should correlate to results from more reliable sources, such as service experience and field testing. The method of accelerating corrosion testing used depends upon:
- Material being examined
- Environment
- Type of corrosion mechanism