Concepts of steel protection by coatings with a reduced content of zinc pigments

In zinc-rich primers Zn acts in the initial stage as sacrificial anode (cathodic protection). During lifetime Zn is transformed into its corrosion products, which seal the coating's pores (barrier protection). Such coatings are typically very highly pigmented which could cause the deterioration of cohesion and/or adhesion as well as mechanical properties. The formulations of different Zn pigments in epoxy matrices were developed with...