Q&A with corrosion industry professionals

Featured Corrosion Experts

Chrissy Stewart

Senior Chemist, KTA-Tator, Inc.

Chrissy Stewart is a senior chemist with KTA-Tator, Inc. Employed with KTA since 2006, she is heavily involved in coating failure investigation and comparative coating testing services. Stewart has achieved SSPC Protective Coating Specialist (PCS) certification, is a voting member of ASTM and a past president of the Pittsburgh Society for Coatings Technology (PSCT) where she currently serves on the Board of Directors. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Mercyhurst University, has had several articles published in JPCL and was featured in JPCL’s 2015 annual bonus edition, "Coatings Professionals: The Next Generation.”

Wade Hannon

Area Sales Manager, Specialty Products at GRACO Inc.

Wade Hannon is an Area Sales Manager – Specialty Products at GRACO Inc. with responsibilities for equipment demonstrations, technical support, distributor development and sales support, marketing and promotion within assigned territories, trade shows and internal sales support.

Alan Kehr

Managing Consultant, Alan Kehr Anti-Corrosion, LLC

Alan Kehr has more than 40 years’ experience in the pipeline and reinforcing steel coatings industries, specializing in research and development of coatings, marketing, and technical service. Starting his career in the lab and field at 3M for several decades, Alan has since become world-recognized expert in fusion-bonded epoxy (FBE) and epoxy-coated rebar, now holding three patents for innovative FBE coating chemistries.

Q&As

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“Does aluminum rust?”

We often use the term "rust" to mean corrosion, but these two terms do not mean the same thing.Distinguishing between Rust and CorrosionRust is a coating that occurs on the surface of iron...

Answered by: Shivananda Prabhu

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“Are there some anti-corrosion applications in which airless spraying is a bad idea?”

Airless sprayers work by pumping high-pressure paints or coatings through a hose to the nozzle of the spray gun. As the paint is forced through the tip of the nozzle, it gets broken up (atomized)...

Answered by: Wade Hannon
Area Sales Manager, Specialty Products at GRACO Inc.

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“Why should cathodic protection and a coating be used together to protect against corrosion?”

Applying a protective coating to metallic surfaces is the most effective method to mitigate corrosion damage. According to a National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) report, more than $100...

Answered by: Mehdi Yari
Electrochemistry and Corrosion Laboratory at the University of Western Ontario

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“Are there any OSHA regulations that need to be taken into account when using thermal insulating coatings?”

Editor's note: this question was answered in The Use of Insulation Coatings for Burn Protection, a Webinar from Corrosionpedia. See more on our Webinar page.When it pertains to temperature limits...

Answered by: Howard Mitschke

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“With respect to CUI, how well do thermal insulating coatings retard the spread of corrosion?”

Editor's note: this question was answered in The Use of Insulation Coatings for Burn Protection, a Webinar from Corrosionpedia. See more on our Webinar page.Thermal insulation coatings (also...

Answered by: Howard Mitschke

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“Are there CUI concerns for operating temperatures over 350 degrees F?”

Absolutely. Corrosion under insulation (CUI) can be a serious issue for pipes and process equipment covered with thermal insulation. The corrosion range has kind of been established from 100 to...

Answered by: David Shong

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“Where can I find a coating that is chloride and sulfur corrosion-resistant?”

Thank you very much for your inquiry. We get questions like this all the time, and they are far more complex than most people realize.First, to be clear, we are consultants who do this for a living....

Answered by: Warren Brand
Owner, Chicago Corrosion Group and W Brand Consulting

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“How can you avoid flash rust during wet blasting?”

Flash rust is defined as the corrosion that occurs on the surface of a metal shortly after any wet method of surface preparation. This type of rusting typically occurs within minutes after cleaning...

Answered by: Krystal Nanan
Civil Engineer

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“What are the different Xylan coatings and how do I decide which is best?”

Xylan is an industrial dry film lubricant consisting primarily of one or more fluoropolymers including polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (Figure 1), perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA) and fluorinated ethylene...

Answered by: Krystal Nanan
Civil Engineer

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“Do soluble salts affect paint bonding fiberglass carbon fiber hulls?”

The short answer to this question is yes.The presence of soluble salts, particularly sulfates and chlorides, at the paint/hull interface can have detrimental effects on the integrity of the coating...

Answered by: Krystal Nanan
Civil Engineer

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“How can companies maintain operations during COVID-19?”

In the wake of the recent COVID-19 coronavirus global pandemic, many companies have been forced to close their doors as governments around the world seek to "flatten the curve." By...

Answered by: Krystal Nanan
Civil Engineer

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“How can I boost my technical skills during the COVID-19 pandemic?”

The COVID-19 coronavirus is a worldwide concern affecting all of us, including those in the corrosion prevention and protective coatings industries. As many employees and contractors are forced to...

Answered by: John Priebe
Editor

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“How does ultrasonic technology detect pipeline corrosion and metal loss?”

Ultrasonic is a term used to describe the range of sound waves that possess frequencies higher than that of audible human hearing. Ultrasonic testing (UT), therefore, involves using these sound waves...

Answered by: Krystal Nanan
Civil Engineer

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“How and why should I measure the strength of a protective coating?”

Modern industrial processes continue to place heavy demands on tools, equipment and structures. As a result, the protective coatings used to shield these assets must be able to maintain their...

Answered by: Krystal Nanan
Civil Engineer

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“Should I use a polyurethane or epoxy coating on concrete?”

There is no shortage of options when it comes to concrete floor coatings, which are generally used to protect concrete floors from excessive wear and damage. Two of the most popular types of floor...

Answered by: Krystal Nanan
Civil Engineer

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“Does zinc rust?”

The short to the question is, yes. Zinc does rust. Like all metals, zinc corrodes when exposed to air and moisture. However, this element does not rust like most other metals.Iron, for example,...

Answered by: Krystal Nanan
Civil Engineer

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“What are the pros of non-intrusive pressure equipment inspections?”

It is essential to perform regular inspections on pressure equipment to ensure that their mechanical and structural integrity meet safety and performance standards. Traditionally, internal visual...

Answered by: Krystal Nanan
Civil Engineer

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“How can I convert corrosion rate between mils per year and mm/y?”

A corrosion rate conversion is a technique to change the measurement units of a given corrosion rate to another unit for comparison purposes or a specific engineering application. When converting a...

Answered by: Osvaldo Mejia
Sr. Pipeline Integrity Engineer at Petroleum Development Oman

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“Can laser scanning assess corrosion under insulation?”

Laser scanning (profilometry) is a relatively new technique used for nondestructive testing and evaluation of numerous structures. It involves using laser technology to capture the three-dimensional...

Answered by: Krystal Nanan
Civil Engineer

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“How do self-healing metal oxides protect against corrosion?”

Self-healing metal oxide is a term used to describe a special category of metal oxides that are known to exhibit extraordinary corrosion resistance. This term was coined by academics at the...

Answered by: Krystal Nanan
Civil Engineer

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