What is galvanisation?

What is galvanisation?

• A. Coating steel with plastic.
• B. Treating steel items with a coating of zinc.
• C. Anodising aluminum for corrosion protection.
• D. Electroplating copper onto steel.

Answer: (B)

Galvanisation means coating steel with zinc to protect it from corrosion. Zinc is more reactive than iron, so it oxidizes first, giving sacrificial protection to the steel underneath. This means that even if the outer zinc layer is scratched, the surrounding zinc will still corrode in preference to the steel, guarding the metal from rust. The common method is hot-dip galvanizing, where steel parts are dipped into molten zinc to form a strong, adherent coating that acts both as a barrier and as sacrificial protection. This approach is distinct from simply applying a plastic coating, anodising aluminum, or electroplating copper onto steel, which do not provide the same zinc-based sacrificial protection.

Galvanisation means coating steel with zinc to protect it from corrosion. Zinc is more reactive than iron, so it oxidizes first, giving sacrificial protection to the steel underneath. This means that even if the outer zinc layer is scratched, the surrounding zinc will still corrode in preference to the steel, guarding the metal from rust. The common method is hot-dip galvanizing, where steel parts are dipped into molten zinc to form a strong, adherent coating that acts both as a barrier and as sacrificial protection. This approach is distinct from simply applying a plastic coating, anodising aluminum, or electroplating copper onto steel, which do not provide the same zinc-based sacrificial protection.