SALT SPRAY TEST

Thesaltspraytestisastandardizedtestmethodusedtocheckcorrosion
resistanceofcoatedsamples.
Coatingsprovidecorrosionresistancetometallicpartsmadeofsteel,
zamakorbrass.

Saltspraytestisanacceleratedcorrosiontestthatproducesacorrosiveattacktothe
coatedsamplesinordertopredictitssuitabilityinuseasaprotectivefinish.

Theappearanceofcorrosionproducts(oxides)isevaluatedafteraperiodoftime.

TESTING EQUIPMENT

Theapparatusfortestingconsistsofaclosedtestingchamber,whereasalted
solution(mainly,asolutionof5%sodiumchloride)isatomizedbymeansofa
nozzle.

Thisproducesacorrosiveenvironmentofdensesalinefoginthechambersothat
partsexposedinitaresubjectedtoseverelycorrosiveconditions.

Theexposurezoneofthesaltspraychamberismaintainedat35C.

Testspecimensareplacedinanenclosedsaltspraytestingcabinetorchamberand
subjectedtoacontinuousindirectfogorsprayofasaltwatersolution.Thisclimate
ismaintainedthroughoutthedurationofthetest.

Testsperformedwithastandardized5%solutionofNaClareknownasNSS
(neutralsaltspray).

ResultsarerepresentedgenerallyastestinghoursinNSSwithoutappearanceof
corrosionproducts(e.g.720hinNSSaccordingtoISO9227).

Othersolutionsareaceticacid(ASStest,35C)andaceticacidwithcopper
chloride(CASStest,50C).

Eachonechosenfortheevaluationofdecorativecoatings,suchaselectroplated
copper-nickel-chromium,electroplatedcopper-nickeloranodizedaluminum.

SomesourcesdonotrecommendtouseASSorCASStestcabinetsinterchangeably
forNSStests,asitisclaimedthatathoroughcleaningofthecabinetafterASSor
CASStestisverydifficult.

ASTMdoesnotaddressthisissue,butISO9227doesnotrecommenditandifitis
tobedone,advocatesathoroughcleaning.

Chamberconstruction,testingprocedureandtestingparametersarestandardized
undernationalandinternationalstandards,suchasASTMB117andISO9227.

ASTMB117andISO9227arewidelyusedasreferencestandards.

However,thesetestingstandardsneitherprovideinformationoftestingperiodsfor
thecoatingstobeevaluated,northeappearanceofcorrosionproductsinformof
salts.

Requirementsshallbeagreedbetweencustomerandmanufacturer.

Differentcoatingshavedifferentbehaviorinsaltspraytestandconsequently,test
durationwilldifferfromonetypeofcoatingtoanother.

Forexample,atypicalelectroplatedzincandyellowpassivatedsteelpartlasts96
hoursinsaltspraytestwithoutwhiterust.

Electroplatedzinc-nickelsteelpartscanlastmorethan720hoursinNSStest
withoutredrust(or48hoursinCASStestwithoutredrust)Requirementsare
establishedintestduration(hours)andcoatingsshallcomplywithminimumtesting
periods.

TESTINGPERIODFOR
DIFFERENTCOATINGS

SSTisusedtocheckcorrosionresistanceofdifferentcoatedsamples.

Thesecoatingmaybepowdercoating,zincplating,nickelplatingetc.

Testingdurationisdifferentfordifferentcoatings,whichisdetailedbellow.

POWDER COATING

WhenpowdercoatedsampleisplacedinSSTblistersareformedafter
sometimeduration.

Blistersaresmallporesonthesurfaceofpowdercoating.

Duetoformationofblister,thebasemetalgetscorroded.

Forthequalityinspection,sampleisplacedinSSTsetupfor500hr
(standard:296hr)

Qualityofthesampleischeckedbythedensityoftheblistersformed.

ZINC PLATING

ForqualityinspectionzinccoatedspecimenisplacedinSSTsetupfor100
hours(standard96hr)

Within100hrifthesamplecolorchangestoblackthensampleisOK.

ButifthecolorischangestoredthenthesampleisNG.

Thetestingisperformedforthethicknessof8-12micron.

NICKELPLATING

ForqualityinspectionnickelcoatedspecimenisplacedinSSTsetupfor
150hours(standard144hr).

Within100hrifthesamplecolorchangestoblackthensampleisOK.

ButifthecolorischangestoredthenthesampleisNG.

Thetestingisperformedforthethicknessof8-12micron.

TYPE OF RUST:
o WHITE RUST
o RED RUST

WHITE RUST

Concerning zinc plated steel, white rust develops when the

zinc plating starts to sacrifice itself to protect the base
material (which is generally steel).

Zinc coating is protecting the steel and before we get red rust
we will normally develop white rust.

White rust is formation of zinc oxide and look like white

powder on the top of the zinc plated steel.

Atypical zinc plating specification might be 264 hours to

white rust for rack plated parts 216 hours to white rust to
barrel plated parts.

The good thing about white rust is that this type of rust is not
attacking the base material but the zinc plated coating is
sacrificing itself to protect the base material.

RED RUST

Whensteelorironisinenvironmentofhumidity,saltandoxygenwegetredrust.

Theformationofredrustmeansthattheactualsteelorironisbeingconsumed,there
willbeeventuallybeatotaldisintegrationofthesteelorironintoredrust.

Thank You