With one of the largest capacities of any independent laboratory, Element’s globally located laboratories offer multiple cathodic disbondment tests across a range of internationally recognized standards including ISO, ASTM, NACE and CSA.
What is cathodic disbondment?
Cathodic disbondment is the breakdown of adhesion between a coating and the coated substrate to which it is applied, caused by cathodic reaction products being formed at defects (holidays) in the coating film as the cathodic protection current passes into the substrate at the defective area. This leads to formation of hydroxyl groups at the cathode (the substrate) and a polarized potential which can cause the adhesion loss of the coating, and so disbondment from the substrate.
The purpose of cathodic disbondment testing is to investigate the behavior of the coating protection system when subjected to either sacrificial or impressed current flows.
Cathodic disbondment testing is often used as part of a suite of tests to determine a coating’s suitability for different environments. It is also used as a stand-alone test to assess a coating schemes interaction with the cathodic protection system. Element provides cathodic disbondment tests that cover a wide range of test durations from hours to months, as well as different voltages, and temperatures which range from ambient to 204°C.
Cathodic disbondment test methods
Each test method has its own set of parameters and test conditions. With many test methods to choose from, Element’s Engaged Experts help you select the process that is most appropriate for your project needs.
Cathodic disbondment testing at elevated temperatures
As temperatures are continually increasing in the offshore Oil & Gas and pipeline industry, there is an increasing demand for testing at high temperatures to understand coating degradation better. Element conducts cathodic disbondment tests for offshore structural coatings that simulate the exposure conditions for coatings on submerged high-temperature structures.
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