Novel Method for Determining the Strength and Resistance to Damage of Metallic Coatings used for Corrosion Protection

Abstract

A novel method for determining the protective value of coatings under conditions of corrosion and mechanical damage is described.

The method yields two quantities: (i) the coating indent strength, I, which measures the resistance of the coating to local mechanical damage, and (ii) the coating damage resistance, D, which measures the tolerance of the coating to local mechanical damage while still protecting against corrosion.

The method is simple, requiring only a standard Vickers hardness testing machine in addition to conventional apparatus for exposure of samples to a corrosive environment.