Surface Preparation: Doing it Right!
1.) Soluble Salts: Understanding the
Problem
2.) Testing: Where to Test
3.) Decontamination: The Best Practice
4.) Final Testing: Insuring Success
Surface Preparation: Doing it Right!
Soluble Salts: Understanding the Problem
Irrefutable evidence that soluble salts are a
leading cause of coating failure.
“The most important single factor influencing
the life of the paint is the proper preparation
of the metal surface”
Corrosion and Corrosion Control, H.H. Uhlig
and R. W. Revie
“For every 1 µg/cm2 increase in chloride level,
coating life cycle performance can
be reduced by 50%.”
Comment from H. Mitschke on the summary of
his SSPC award winning work (2002)
Salt is defined as a material that ionizes a
solution. In water (H2O) salt is an
electrolyte.
Hundreds of salts exist.
The three most commonly encountered
problematic salts are chloride, sulfate and
nitrate.
Note: There are others but they are not as nearly as
Abundant.
Chloride, Sulfate, Nitrate
Primarily chloride, sulfate and nitrate
soluble salts
Iodides
Fluorides
Bromides
Ionic Contaminants
Water soluble inorganic compounds
Non-visible contaminants
Why weren't salts a problem when we used lead
based paint?
Lead paint reacts with salts and makes it insoluble.
Soluble salts cause corrosion when wetted by dew or rain.
Paints today do not contain lead therefore the salts
remain soluble
The transition from lead based to polymeric based
coatings and thin film coatings make salt removal
that much more critical.
Marine bodies
Acid rain
Fossil fuel power plants
Chemical processes
De-icing salts
Vehicle emissions
WHAT CAUSES PREMATURE COATING
FAILURES?
All coatings are permeable to moisture.
If no salts are present, there is no electrolyte
present and salt induced corrosion does not
occur.
When moisture passes through a coating and
comes in contact with a soluble salt, the
corrosion process starts.
GOD Air-Oxygen
Human Spirit Carbon monoxide
Human Thoughts Electricity
Only the RESULTS are visible
The damage has already occurred at
this point
Dirt/Grit Coating Steel substrate
Water Soluble salt ion
The water is filtered by coating to a Purified or DI water
making it Ion deficient
COATING
Cathode e-
STEEL Electrolyte
Anode
The electrochemical attachment
of salts to the substrate are
greater than the forces applied to
remove them.
Surface Preparation: Doing it Right!
Testing: Where to Test
TEST HERE:
TEST HERE:
Marine environment;
Deicing salts;
Environmental fallout
Ion specific, accurate, and easy to use
field test kits:
REMINDER – These are the most commonly
encountered soluble salts.
CHLOR*TEST
CHLOR*TEST ‘CSN’
CHLOR*TEST ‘A’
Marine environment;
Deicing salts;
Environmental fallout
Ion specific, accurate, and easy to use field test kits:
CHLOR*TEST™: Field test kit for surface chloride.
CHLOR*TEST CSN™: Measurement of chloride, sulfate,
and nitrate contamination.
CHLOR*TEST‘A’™ : Chloride ion test for abrasives
CHLOR*TEST™ ‘C’™: Chloride ion test in concrete
Ion specific, accurate, and easy to use field test kits:
CHLOR*TEST ‘W’™: Chloride test for water
Electronic measurement of
NEW! e_CHLOR*TEST™:
chloride
Summary: Detection of surface salts is critical for life cycle
coating performance.
Surface Preparation: Doing it Right!
Decontamination: The Best Practice
An acidic product is required to effectively
remove surface salts.
An inhibitor will mask salts, preventing detection.
Coatings fail because salts remain!
Reference: ISO 8502-2; NACE 6G186; NACE SP0716; ASTM
5367-16. Alkaline treatments form a boundary layer,
preventing salt detection and removal.
A-A-A: The steel fabricating, pipelines and auto
industries have followed this practice for over 90
years.
o (Note: A-A-A: Alkaline-Acid-Alkaline.
Chemically, cannot combine steps because of
specific functionality.)
Marine environment;
Surface salts? Deicing salts;
Environmental fallout
Test for salts
Results YES
Salts Exceed Specification?
YES
CHLOR*RID ®
®
For immersion, splash or atmospheric services.
Vapor abrasive blasting
Surface application at 1:50 dilution.
Rinse with 1:50 dilution HOLD*BLAST
Pressure wash (3,000 psi min.)
Surface application generally at 1:100 dilution
No need to rinse.
Test before, during, and after CHLOR*RID®
application!
White metal blast surface Contaminant free white metal after
under magnification CHLOR*RID 5,000 psi wash
BENEFITS
Proven soluble salt remover.
One time use.
Compatible with all coatings.
Apply through any high pressure equipment.
UHP blasting
Vapor/Mist blasting
Pressure washers (3,000 psi minimum)
Removes light surface oils.
Dilute with potable water.
No demineralized, high purity water required.
No concerns with residue (scum) on evaporation.
WILL NOT leave calcium deposits in equipment or
on the surface to be primed!
No rewashing prior to coating.
Stocking points close to markets;
Wide distribution network.
Economical:
Pennies per square foot.
Easy to handle and easy to apply.
Environmentally Friendly
Non-Hazardous.
NO VOC’S.
Trailer identified with 7 to 12
µg/cm2 of chloride.
Vapor blast with CHLOR*RID, followed
by a rinse with HOLD*BLAST.
Close ups of the finished
surface preparation.
Surface salts? Marine environment;
Deicing salts;
Environmental fallout
Test for salts
NO Results YES
Salts below Salts Exceed Specification?
specified limits
NO YES
HOLD*BLAST™ CHLOR*RID®
Surface Passivator
Chemically changes the surface to a less
reactive state.
Eliminates surface corrosion caused by
wet metal surfaces.
Stops the formation of rust.
Application:
Apply at 1:50 dilution with potable water.
Use a minimum 1,500 psi pressure washer to drive
into the surface profile.
Add to the water with vapor abrasive blasting.
o Surface rinse without the abrasive to remove
particulates.
BENEFITS
Dilute with potable water:
No demineralized, high purity water required.
No concerns with residue (scum) on evaporation.
WILL NOT leave calcium deposits in equipment or on
the surface to be primed
Compatible with all coatings.
Prevents flash rust for up to 72 hours, or longer.
Apply through equipment.
Standard pressure washer
U.H.P blasting
Vapor / Mist blasting
No build-up/plating out of minerals inside pressure equipment.
BENEFITS
Economical:
• Pennies per square foot.
• Eliminate high cost of brush blasting.
Strategic shipping locations:
• Wide distribution network.
No rewashing prior to coating.
Easy to handle and easy apply.
Environmentally friendly.
Vapor blast with HOLD*BLAST™ 1:50
72 hours after HOLD*BLAST™
application.
120 hours after HOLD*BLAST™
application
NACE standard SP0716 address’s soluble salt testing
Frequency and locations
SSPC has developed Guide 15 outlining the various methods
used to perform field testing for salts.
NACE document 6G186 has general information on soluble salts
and discusses removal methods.
Specifiers are writing specifications to test for
soluble salts and remove excessive levels
NACE and SSPC are developing documents that will assist
in dealing with Soluble salts.
The CHLOR RID sales and staff are always
available to respond to technical questions and
provide guidance on the use of CHLOR RID
products.
Surface Preparation: Doing it Right!
Soluble Salts: Understanding the
Problem
Testing: Where to Test
Decontamination: The Best Practice
Final Testing: Insuring Success
Surface Preparation: Doing it Right!
Final Testing: Insuring Success
Test in the same areas where soluble salts
were found in order to insure that they have
been successfully removed.
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