January 09, 2014 -- Cortec® Corporation proudly announces that its globally known VpCI® inhibitors performed best among all the corrosion preventive compounds tested in real life test “The Behavior of Environmentally Friendly Corrosion Preventative Compounds in an Aggressive Coastal Marine Environment“ conducted by NASA at their atmospheric test station Kennedy Space Center, Florida. This is known as the most corrosive area in the United States and one of the most corrosive places in the world because of its hot climate, proximity of Atlantic ocean, winds carrying salt spray and fallout of rocket propellants that are highly corrosive.
Kennedy Space Center is located within the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge therefore, environmentally-friendly alternatives are highly sought after. The shift to use environmentally friendly technologies throughout future space-related launch programs prompted a study aimed at replacing current petroleum and solvent-based corrosion preventive compounds with safer alternatives.
This research focused on identification and evaluation of environmentally friendly CPCs for use in protecting flight hardware and ground support equipment from atmospheric corrosion. The corrosion preventive compounds, needed to survive in the aggressive coastal Space Center, Florida.
The objective was to determine if environmentally-friendly CPCs will provide adequate corrosion protection for spaceport structures and related hardware used at NASA’s center considering large number of environmental and safety issues associated with conventional CPC’s. Petroleum-based CPCs have become increasingly impractical for use at this location due to environmental concerns and cumbersome containment procedures required during application and removal.
Three of the Cortec’ products VpCI® 368 , EcoLine® 3690, and EcoLine® HD Grease were tested along with 12 others in this important research project and showed outstanding results.
The different protection behaviors of 15 different soft film CPCs, both common petroleum-based and newer environmentally friendly types, were evaluated on various steel and aluminum substrates. The CPC and substrate systems were subjected to atmospheric testing at the test site located in Kennedy Space Center as well as cyclic accelerated corrosion testing. Each CPC also underwent physical characterization and launch-related compatibility testing.
CPC Applications of Interest: spaceport ground support equipment, aircraft applications marine applications, ground operations applications, launch applications.
The summary of current results and analysis performed by NASA showed that of all the CPC’s tested Cortec’s inhibitors exhibited the least amount of both crevice and galvanic corrosion and have penetrated successfully under the fastener as well as provided good protection considering the long atmospheric exposure time period. VpCI® 368 was the only inhibitor tested to resist corrosion for of all of the aluminum alloys!
VpCI® 368 is a time-proven coating that provides excellent protection to metal substrates exposed to harsh outdoor conditions.
EcoLine® 3690 is a bio-based/bio-degradable ready-to-use temporary coating designed for severe marine and high humidity conditions. The product is non-hazardous, non-toxic, perfect for sensitive areas where environmentally-friendly alternatives are highly sought after. It provides excellent outdoor protection on any metal surface. The film is self-healing and moisture-displacing, providing superior protection against aggressive environments.
EcoLine® HD Grease – bio-based/bio-degradable Heavy Duty Grease, formulated with American-grown natural seed oil that surpasses the lubricity of most conventional petroleum based greases. Utilizing the latest biotechnology, It is an environmentally friendly replacement for harmful greases.
Reference:
E.L. Montgomerry, Kennedy Space Center, L.M. Calle, NASA: “The Behavior of Environmentally Friendly Corrosion Preventive Compounds in an Agressive Marine Environment”, Paper # 2720, Corrosion 2013, NACE.
Cortec® Corporation is the global leader in innovative, environmentally responsible VpCI® and MCI® corrosion control technologies for Packaging, Metalworking, Construction, Electronics, Water Treatment, Oil & Gas, and other industries. Our relentless dedication, sustainability, quality, service, and support is unmatched in the industry. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota. Cortec® manufactures over 400 products distributed worldwide. ISO 9001, ISO 14001:2004, & ISO 17025 Certified
Cortec Website: http://www.cortecvci.com
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