Galvanization

Galvanization (or galvanizing as it is most commonly called in that industry) is the process of applying a protective zinc coating to steel or iron, to prevent rusting. The most common method is hot-dip galvanizing, in which parts are submerged in a bath of molten zinc.

Galvanizing protects the base metal in three ways:

The earliest known example of galvanized iron was encountered by Europeans on 17th-century Indian armor in the Royal Armouries Museum collection. It was named in English via French from the name of Italian scientist Luigi Galvani. Originally in the 19th century, the term "galvanizing" was used to describe the administration of electric shocks; this was also called Faradism. This usage is the origin of the metaphorical use of the verb "galvanize", such as to "galvanize into action" meaning stimulating a complacent person or group to take action.

In modern usage, the term "galvanizing" has largely come to be associated with zinc coatings, to the exclusion of other metals. Galvanic paint, a precursor to hot-dip galvanizing, was patented by Stanislas Sorel, of Paris, in December 1837.

Hot-dip galvanizing deposits a thick robust layer of zinc iron alloys on the surface of a steel item. In the case of automobile bodies, where additional decorative coatings of paint will be applied, a thinner form of galvanizing is applied by electrogalvanizing. The hot-dip process generally does not reduce strength on a measurable scale, with the exception of high-strength steels (>1100 MPa) where hydrogen embrittlement can become a problem. This deficiency is a consideration affecting the manufacture of wire rope and other highly-stressed products.

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