What is galvanizing?

What is galvanizing?

• A. The application of a zinc coating to steel to prevent corrosion
• B. Painting with epoxy
• C. Heating
• D. Mechanical plating

Answer: (A)

Galvanizing is coating steel with zinc to prevent corrosion. The zinc acts sacrificially, so it corrodes in place of the steel, forming a protective barrier even if the coating is scratched. This zinc layer is usually applied by hot-dip galvanizing or electrogalvanizing. Because of that protective mechanism, galvanizing is different from painting with epoxy, which uses a polymer coating, and from heating or mechanical plating, which are distinct finishing processes. In practice, galvanizing is common for outdoor and structural steel components to extend their life in corrosive environments.

Galvanizing is coating steel with zinc to prevent corrosion. The zinc acts sacrificially, so it corrodes in place of the steel, forming a protective barrier even if the coating is scratched. This zinc layer is usually applied by hot-dip galvanizing or electrogalvanizing. Because of that protective mechanism, galvanizing is different from painting with epoxy, which uses a polymer coating, and from heating or mechanical plating, which are distinct finishing processes. In practice, galvanizing is common for outdoor and structural steel components to extend their life in corrosive environments.