What is corrosion

Corrosion simply stated is a natural phenomenon which destroys most metals by either a chemical or electrochemical reaction.

Corrosion – said in three other ways:

  • Nature's method whereby metals and alloys return to their un-refined naturally occurring forms as ores and minerals.
  • The process that takes place when essential properties within a material begin to deteriorate, after exposure to elements that recur within the environment.
  • The electrochemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen.

The process of corrosion requires four elements: an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte and a metallic path. Corrosion is a natural process that cannot be prevented, but intervention with the correct measures can control it. Without intervention, corrosion progresses and becomes damaging.