The Effects of Corrosion in Today's Society

The Effects of Corrosion in Today's Society

Living in today's world where technology is visible and palpable is almost everything that a person could wish for. Most of the things that people long ago would have to wait for weeks or months to be able to access or deliver are now just a click away. We are definitely in a generation where dreamers become inventors and inventors become legends. However, most of what we have today are still semi-synthetic and are still considered "wear-and-tear" machines. Most of the objects, gadgets, and even establishments that surround us are still made out of raw materials that soon experience slow deterioration.

Wood-based products face the problems of flaking paint, molds, or termites. Plastic-based products may last longer than wood products but there are still health and environment issues concerning the usage of plastics. Lastly, metal-based products, and/or metals in general, face one of their biggest enemies called rust. Thus, although we might be living in our advanced world, there are still some natural issues that we need to find solution with. Different people worldwide have done many researches and studies on improving architectural, engineering, and construction methods and have already come up with some solution towards such problems and one of which is providing ways to prevent or delay rusting in metals.

Corrosion, most commonly known as rust, is a chemical reaction that causes engineered materials' component atoms to break apart. Corrosion happens when metals are exposed to oxygen, which in our case, makes up about 21% of the air that we breathe. When this happens, the metals that we use for practically anything from screws that make up our gadgets to the entire San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge to deteriorate and lose not only its luster or paint but also its strength. It's like comparing a microwavable glass bowl and a wine glass where the former is definitely stronger and more durable.

If our everyday metal-based structures will all eventually break apart, we wouldn't be able to keep our buildings mighty and high for long and neither will any of the other establishments and gadgets. So, scientists have studied far and wide to find a probable solution to prevent, if not totally erase, the corrosion reaction of metals. There are eLearning websites like that of CorrConnect that caters to helping people be aware of corrosion and its prevention through different methods such as Cathodic Prevention System and more. CorrConnect is sponsored by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition Technology and Logistics, Office of Corrosion Policy and Oversight. Their website offers free course modules about corrosion engineering which is also interactive through the different features such as the videos, games, community forum, examination modules, student profiles, corrosion news and more.

Indeed, today's world opens up portals into development and advancement of technology as well as the improvement of the society. From the Industrial Revolution's machines up to today's computers, we have endlessly searched for the most convenient way of living. Through prevention and upgrading of engineering and architectural designs and products, we can soon build the world we've always wanted to live in; that which is a safer and stronger environment to all.

Image: The US Federal Highway Administration estimated in 2002 that corrosion cost the U.S. about 3% of Gross Domestic Product, or roughly $276 billion (1998 then year dollars).

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