Corrosion

A versatile new material helps in the ongoing battle against corrosion. The polymer coating not only protects against corrosion, but highlights cracks as they form, automatically repairs damage to itself, and can be recycled at the end of its life.

As useful as steel is, its main weakness may be its vulnerability to corrosion. Researchers in Korea have now developed a new alloy coating that boosts steel’s resistance to rust, by adding a simple extra step in the surface treatment.

Scientists at Rice University have cooked up a new alloy with a unique and diverse set of attributes that could prove highly effective at protecting steel from corrosion, and can even heal itself when damaged.

Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a self-healing coating that can patch up its imperfections in a matter of seconds. It can do so even when underwater or in chemically-harsh environments.​

Australian researchers have discovered an ultra-low density and corrosion-resistant magnesium-lithium alloy that could greatly reduce the weight of cars and planes, in what they describe as the first step toward mass production of stainless magnesium. ​​

According to the US Department of Defense, corrosion costs the Navy approximately US$7 billion every year. Now, researchers from the Office of Naval Research and Johns Hopkins University are looking into the use a powder that could allow scratched or chipped paint to "heal like human skin."

Magnesium alloys are very attractive for their light weight, specific strength and easy machinability, but they corrode easily. Researchers at Monash University have developed a novel way to poison corrosive reactions by adding a dash of arsenic to the recipe.