Electrochemical performance of zinc in acidic chloride solutions

Protecting zinc from corrosion, especially in galvanised steel, is industrially important. As galvanised steel is extensively used in outdoor applications, it is prone to exposure to acidic environments mainly by acidified marine aerosols, pollutants (CO 2, SO 2, H 2S etc) and acidic air. Therefore a systematic study of the electrochemical behaviour of zinc in acidic environments is necessary. This paper investigates the electrochemical performance of zinc in acidic chloride solutions via polarisation experiments. The influence of the carbonate and sulphate anions on the electrokinetic phenomena is also investigated; they serve as an estimate of the influence of the gases CO 2 and SO 2, on the atmospheric corrosion of zinc.