Abstract
Cathodic protection is one of the successful ways to prevent corrosion of steel structures in marine environments. The unique feature of cathodic protection in seawater is the formation of calcareous deposits on cathodic metal surface. The formation principles of calcareous deposit seawater had been known for a long time. That is, cathodic reduction reactions associated with cathodic protection in seawater generate $OH^-$ at the metal surface in accordance with the formular ; 1/2 $O_2$ + $H_2O$ + $2e^-$ $2OH^-$ and $2H_2O$ + $2e^-$ ${\rightarrow}$ $H_2$ + $2OH^-$. These reactions increase the pH at the metal / seawater interface. The high pH causes precipitation of $Mg(OH)_2$ and $CaCO_3$ in accordance with the formular ; $Mg^{2+}$ + $2(OH)^-$ ${\rightarrow}$ $Mg(OH)_2$ and $Ca^{2+}$ + $HCO_3^-$ + $OH^-$ ${\rightarrow}$ $H_2O$ + $CaCO_3$. These are typically the main compounds in calcareous deposits. It obviously has several advantages compared to the conventional coatings, since the environment-friendly calcareous deposit coating is formed by the elements($Mg^{2+}$, $Ca^{2+}$) naturally present in seawater. In this study, environmental friendly calcareous deposit films were prepared on steel plates by electro plating technic in natural seawater. The influence of current density on composition ratio, structure and morphology of the coated films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy formation process of calcareous deposits films in natural seawater. And we confirmed the properties of all the films can be improved greatly by controlling the material structure and morphology with effective use of the electroplating method in natural seawater.
