RMIT Europe has been awarded AU$434K to contribute to ALCOAT, a research project developing aluminium alloy coatings as a more sustainable alternative to zinc galvanisation.
Steel is the world's most important metallic construction material: its mechanical properties, availability and affordability make it a staple in many building and infrastructure projects.
Left untreated, steel is susceptible to oxidation and subsequent deterioration, with tell-tale signs of damage such as cracking and rusting especially prevalent in moisture-rich environments.
Protection against corrosion is necessary to lengthen the service life of steel products and ensure the fulfilment of safety requirements by averting material failure.
ALCOAT is a 42-month project that will develop two new families of aluminium alloy coatings thanks to financing from the EU Research Fund for Coal & Steel (RFCS).
Recycled aluminium alloy coatings with chemically tailored electrochemical potential for safe protection of steel structures (ALCOAT) will recycle aluminium destined for landfill to create an alternative to zinc for the galvanisation of steel products.
"Scrap aluminium is widely available but being contaminated with iron and magnesium makes it brittle and unusable for many applications, meaning it is often either discarded or used for lower-level purposes such as pellets," said Professor Ivan Cole, Research Director at RMIT Europe.
"However, this aluminium is exactly what we need to produce a good coating for steel as the contaminants it contains actually stop oxide from forming."
