The Demand for Protective Coatings Declines in the Automotive Industry Due To the Covid-19 Pandemic
Protective coatings are commonly used for the protection of metal,
concrete or cement surfaces from a penetrating corrosive environment. Protective
coating is an easy way to prevent this corrosion, by restricting the contact of
the exposed surface with corrosive elements like oxygen, hydroxyl radicals,
salt, iron and UV light. There are many types of protective coatings, each
having different properties that protect specific structures. Some of these are
commonly used in the auto and boat industry and others are used in industrial
and municipal facilities.
The demand for protective coatings has declined in the automotive
industry. This can be attributed to decrease in sales of automobiles due to the
Covid-19 pandemic. For instance, Yamaha Motor Co. has projected that the
company’s motorcycle sales will drop 4.7% to 60,000 units in North America in
2020. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, motorcycle sales dropped
6.3% to 63,000 units year over year. Similarly, Harley-Davidson Inc. reported
that retail sales volumes dropped 4.3% in 2019 from 2018. The U.S.-China trade
friction is also expected to limit demand for coatings.
Three broad categories under which protective
coatings can be categorized are adsorption, inhibition, and sacrificial
coatings. An inhibitive coating is used to slow or prevent the progression of
corrosion by preventing the formation of cracks in the metal substrate. Inhibitors
inhibit corrosion because the oxide coating forms a thin layer on the metal
surface. As the coating becomes etched, the oxide layer builds up a thin layer
of protective film on the metal substrate which prevents further corrosion
progression.
There are two basic types of inhibiting and barrier coatings:
oxygen or scavenging, and sacrificial. Osteological or scavenging coatings form
a thin layer of oxygen on the metal surface protecting it from damage by oxygen
ions. Osteological or scavenging coatings usually contain bromine, zinc or
another oxidation inhibitor. This process of forming a thin layer of oxygen on
the metal is called 'osmotic shock'. This protective layer is effective in
preventing corrosion and acts as a barrier against other contaminants.
Sacrificial coatings, on the other hand, do not form a protective
layer of oxygen but rather form a barrier against the entry of harmful ions
such as sulfur, hydrogen sulphide, and others. This barrier is more effective
than the osmotic shock because it inhibits corrosion at the same time it
protects the metal from damaging chemicals. The term sacrificial can also refer
to a layer of any other sort of oxide barrier coating used in a similar way.
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