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.
