Galvanized Steel (Sacrificial Coating)

Definition

Galvanized steel coats steel with zinc, a less noble metal that willingly corrodes first to protect the iron. Zinc supplies electrons and satisfies cathodic demand before iron needs to participate.

Rather than relying on iron’s weak passive defenses, the zinc layer sacrifices itself, acting as a sacrificial anode that spares the steel beneath as long as zinc remains. When the zinc is consumed, the protection ends and the steel begins to corrode. This is an applied case of sacrificial anode protection built into the material.

Related concepts

Galvanic Series · Nobility · Galvanic Corrosion

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