US-based Cortec Corporation has come up with a customised corrosion solution for pipe end protection using its Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors (VpCI) technology.

According to a spokesman for the global corrosion control specialist, pipe ends are sometimes capped to protect against physical damage and intrusion of foreign objects during storage and shipping.

“Cortec’s CorroLogic CorrPlug brings pipe caps to the next level by incorporating VpCI corrosion protection technology directly into the plastic cover. These pipe caps are heavy wall black polyethylene containing proprietary VpCI.”

Cortec’s M-120 can enhance the corrosion protection of water-based coating systems.

The CorroLogic CorrPlug pipe caps protect pipe threads, pipe ends, and other tubular objects from corrosion, mechanical damage, and contamination during transit, handling, and storage.

The caps are specially designed for easy installation and removal and this helps eliminate extra labour on pipe ends that might otherwise need to be cleaned off before being joined together, he says.

“During humidity testing, pipe threads capped with a CorroLogic CorrPlug showed a significant advantage in corrosion protection compared to pipes capped with regular plastic containing no corrosion inhibitors,” the spokesman states.

CorroLogic CorrPlug pipe caps serve an additional purpose when used in combination with VpCI-337 ready-to-use waterborne vapour corrosion inhibitor, VpCI pouches, or CorroLogic tube strips. These products emit VpCI that forms a protective molecular layer on the internal surfaces of pipe walls. In order to be effective, the VpCI must be trapped inside the void.

Also, CorroLogic CorrPlug pipe caps offer an easy way to keep the protective vapours from escaping while also protecting pipe ends from corrosion.

“Pipes that are protected inside and out with VpCI technology will be doubly prepared to face humidity swings, condensation, precipitation, and other harsh elements frequently encountered during outdoor shipping and storage,” he remarks.

CorroLogic CorrPlug pipe caps are made to order in most standard NPT pipe sizes ranging from 0.25 to 64 inches in diameter, making them applicable for a broad range of small to large pipes. They protect carbon steel, stainless steel, copper, brass, and aluminium.

These pipe caps are particularly suited to extensive pipe lay-up projects or mass shipments of pipes where a large minimum order quantity is required.

CorroLogic CorrPlug pipe caps ... protection all the way to the last pipe thread.

Meanwhile, Cortec now offers M-120, a water-based corrosion inhibitor additive devoid of heavy metals, to formulators looking to enhance the corrosion protection of increasingly popular water-based coatings systems.

“M-120 can be used alone or in conjunction with other inhibitors to increase the corrosion protection abilities of both water-based and solvent-based systems. It is recommended for use in acrylic and alkyd resin systems,” says the spokesman.

Capable of protecting both carbon steel and aluminium, M-120 contains contact corrosion inhibitors that eliminate in-can corrosion, inhibit flash rust, and provide long-term protection to the metal substrate. The additive does not contain any heavy metals such as zinc phosphate, chromates, or barium.

M-120 comes as an off-white/beige coloured paste that can be added to coatings formulations at recommended loading levels, ranging from one to three per cent based on total formula weight.

M-120 contains a special blend of corrosion inhibitors that protect against corrosion by forming a microscopic inhibitor layer along the contours of the metal substrate.

According to the spokesman, traditional coatings rely on sacrificial metals such as zincs and chromates for corrosion protection. However, due to their large particle sizes, these inhibitors leave gaps that make it easier for corrosion to begin in micro-cavities, he says.

“In contrast, M-120 contains inhibitors that have an attraction to metal and tend to conform to the intricacies of metal surfaces, providing a protective layer in micro-cavities for fuller inhibitor coverage,” he adds.

He says market demand is increasingly shifting to the use of more water-based systems that have a lower environmental impact and are much easier to clean up than solvent-based systems.

“M-120 can help formulators meet these demands by delivering a water-based corrosion inhibitor that does not contain heavy metals but provides a microscopic protection layer on metal surfaces. M-120 also has the flexibility to provide an added level of corrosion protection for cases where solvent-based systems are still preferred,” he concludes.

Headquartered in St Paul, Minnesota, Cortec Corporation is the global leader in innovative, environmentally responsible VpCI and MCI corrosion control technologies for the packaging, metalworking, construction, electronics, water treatment, and oil and gas industries.

Cortec, which manufactures more than 400 products that are distributed worldwide, is ISO 9001, ISO 14001:2004, and ISO 17025 certified.