Electroplated cadmium is the coating preferred for many steel fasteners because of its corrosion resistance, hardness, and close dimensional tolerances. Cadmium metal is also considered to be an effective barrier to hydrogen permeation into or out of steels. Unfortunately, cadmium is highly toxic and, for environmental and occupational safety reasons, is under increasing pressure. The possibility exists that this coating will be removed from the market in the foreseeable future. This possibility has created increased interest in alternatives to cadmium for fasteners and other coating applications.

This paper describes an experimental program to measure the permeability of hydrogen through electroplated cadmium. It also describes the results of 30-day seawater immersion tests of steel fasteners coated with electroplated cadmium and with aluminum and zinc alternatives to electroplated cadmium.

Subject
Zinc rich coatings, Coatings, Hydrogen permeation, Fluxes, Aluminum, Palladium, Iron, Permeation, Steel, Corrosion resistance, Zinc, Fasteners, Hydrogen
© 1983 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
1983
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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