Sacrificial Thermally Sprayed Aluminium Coatings for Marine Environments: A Review

One of the corrosion mitigation methods that is used for the protection of steel operating in seawater environments involves the application of sacrificial metallic coatings (such as aluminium, zinc, and their alloys). This paper reviews current knowledge about thermally-sprayed (TS) and cold-sprayed (CS) Al coatings for the corrosion protection of steel. It also summarises the key findings of the substantial amount of work that has been devoted to understanding mechanisms and the parameters that control the performance of TS Al coatings, such as the spraying method and its parameters like coating thickness and the application of sealer. The paper includes suggestions for areas of further research that could lead to the development of more resilient and longer-lasting coatings, based on the results from both laboratory and field tests that have been published in the literature. It also highlights the need for conducting simulated laboratory tests at conditions of intended service and the importance of long-term testing.