VCIs (Vapor Corrosion Inhibitors or Volatile Corrosion Inhibitors) have been around since the s when they began to be coated onto paper. In , Northern Technologies International Corporation (NTIC) made two significant innovations, NTIC not only managed to introduce a new VCI chemical system to the market that was used as a common food additive (sodium nitrite) but was also able to successfully impregnate this additive into plastic films. By the early s, NTIC started to sell VCI products under the brand name Zerust which left customers with a few common questions: What is VCI and how does it work?
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Vapor corrosion inhibitors (VCIs) are substances that slowly release a corrosion-preventative compound into sealed air space, effectively protecting exposed metal surfaces. VCIs are often used in situations where it is impractical or undesired to use rust-preventative liquids or other surface treatments. The compounds that VCIs release into the air space actively prevent corrosion by forming strong bonds with a metal surface, promoting and maintaining the natural and healthy passive oxide layer on the metal. The VCI layer that forms is invisible and dry, and does not affect the physical properties or functionality of the metal in any way. The protected metal can be painted, treated, and/or used straight out of the Zerust package without further cleaning.
Automotive - VCI packaging is commonly used in the automotive industry to protect metal parts such as engine components, brake components, and suspension components during shipment and storage. These parts are often exposed to harsh environments and are highly susceptible to corrosion, so VCI products are an effective corrosion prevention solution.
Aerospace and Aviation- Small to large aircraft parts benefit from VCI packaging since many of these parts are stored for long periods and then shipped to another destination for assembly. Proper protection is extremely important since damaged metal parts and components can lead to costly delays.
Marine - The marine industry also uses VCI packaging to protect parts such as propellers, valves, and shafts. These parts are also exposed to harsh environments during transportation so VCI provides an effective solution for extra protection.
Military and Heavy Equipment - VCIs are used in the military and heavy equipment industries to protect metal equipment and parts in harsh environments, as well as to extend the lifespan of equipment and reduce maintenance costs.
Electrical Components - VCI packaging is also often used in the electrical and electronics industry to protect metal parts such as printed circuit boards, transformers, and other components. VCI products can protect these delicate components from moisture, humidity, and rust damage during transportation.
Metal Fabrication and Foundry - Metal fabrication plants and foundries use VCIs to protect metal parts during various stages of the manufacturing process. This ensures there is no damage or corrosion to the parts, resulting in a quality finished product.
No matter the application, Rocket Industrial can help you with your corrosion prevention needs. We analyze the current state of your corrosion management needs and work with you and your team to implement the best and most cost-effective solution. Rocket Industrial in partnership with the Zerust support team, can come to your facility and do a step-by-step analysis of your current process including fluid audits, VCI and packaging process audits, and data logger analysis. Our mission is to provide you with the right products, processes, and procedures to ensure that you can achieve your desired results. Contact us today to get started or shop our stock VCI packaging solutions online.
ZERUST® VCI products prevent corrosion in several ways:
The vapor corrosion inhibitor portion of ZERUST® VCI products is made of proprietary chemical formulations that are invisible, odorless, non-toxic, non-reactive, non-flammable, and non-allergenic. These chemical formulations release a corrosion inhibiting vapor that diffuses throughout an enclosure that either contains VCI formulations or is made from VCI materials and settles on exposed metal surfaces to form a microscopic corrosion inhibiting layer.
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This protective layer will remain on the surface of the metal if there is no significant, continuous exchange of air within the enclosure. Ideally, there should be less than one air exchange per day (for example, when an electrical cabinet or package is opened briefly and occasionally). Once the metal part is removed from the enclosure, the corrosion inhibiting layer is no longer kept in place by equilibrium with the VCI source, and it dissipates from metal surfaces (typically within about an hour), leaving the metal part clean, dry, and corrosion-free.
The vapor diffusing properties of our corrosion inhibiting formulations offer an important advantage over conventional inhibitor coatings since the traces of these gas molecules penetrate hard-to-access crevices, gaps, and slots. They also cover the surfaces of complex-shaped articles that are difficult to coat. They are adsorbed onto the surface of the metal to form a corrosion inhibiting protective layer that is just a few molecules thick. ZERUST® VCI products may also include acid gas absorbing chemicals in the packaging material to act as a barrier and add another dimension to the protection of the metal content. These “scavenging” chemicals react and neutralize the polluted air that may diffuse through the ZERUST® VCI material. Also used are various combinations of physical barrier properties that optimize the corrosion prevention and physical protection needs of our customers. These may range from plain low-density polyethylene (LDPE) material to combinations of higher strength, higher tear resistance, higher resistance to sunlight or UV, static charge dissipation, and lower diffusion for moisture or acid gas molecules.
ZERUST® VCI products offer corrosion protection without having to be in direct contact with or coated onto the parts that are being protected. Metal parts merely need to be enclosed in or with a ZERUST® VCI product (where airflow is minimized) for protection to occur. With ZERUST® VCI packaging, it is no longer necessary to apply messy oils, greases, and other corrosion protection compounds and incur the cost of their removal.
Nitrates (NO3 – one nitrogen and three oxygen molecules) are compounds that occur naturally in soil. Consequently, nitrates are also present naturally in root vegetables like carrots and potatoes, as well as leafy green vegetables. Nitrates are not generally harmful unless they are consumed in massive quantities. When we eat nitrates, they are converted into nitrites in our digestive system.
Nitrites are also compounds made up of nitrogen and oxygen, but instead of three oxygen molecules, they have only two (NO2). Nitrite compounds combine with other elements like sodium and potassium to make sodium nitrite or potassium nitrite, which are used as preservatives and color fixatives in cured meats. Nitrites are particularly good at preventing botulism – an anaerobic form of bacteria that causes paralysis and death – which is why small amounts of sodium nitrite are required by law to be added to cured meats. Nitrites too, on their own and in moderation, are also generally not harmful.
Sodium nitrite, however, isn’t just a good food preservative, it’s also an excellent corrosion inhibitor. That’s why, when NTIC developed and commercialized the first-ever VCI rust preventative plastic packaging, the active chemical protection system was formulated using common food additives, including sodium nitrite. Conservative chemists generally do not recognize sodium nitrite itself as a vapor corrosion inhibitor because, on its own, it has a vapor pressure so low that it is almost immeasurable. When used in combination with other additives in proprietary ZERUST® formulations, sodium nitrite can be effective “VCI activated”. The ZERUST® VCI effectiveness has been proven in commercial and military applications worldwide, as well as scientifically by recognized standard test methods for vapor corrosion inhibitors used by U.S. and NATO military organizations.
Nitrites in VCI products are a commonly misunderstood safety concern because of the historic use of the specific compound, dicyclohexylamine nitrite (or dicyclohexylammonium nitrite). Sometimes referred to by the brand name “Dichan”, dicyclohexylamine nitrite is a vapor corrosion inhibitor that was first used in VCI paper production in the ’s. Later, in the ’s, toxicologists started to become aware that compounds using both amines and nitrites in combination could lead to the formation of “n-nitroso amines”, which are believed to be both carcinogenic and genotoxic. It is for this reason that VCI products produced in most advanced industrialized nations no longer use dicyclohexylamine nitrite. ZERUST® VCI packaging has never contained dicyclohexylamine nitrite and, furthermore, does not use amines of any kind because they are known to be skin and respiratory irritants.
Depending on the design of the corrosion prevention solution, some ZERUST® VCI packaging products may be produced from low and high-density polyethylene resins that are resistant to vapor penetration. Some atmospheric moisture will eventually find its way into a closed package. The presence of moisture in a package can be expected during shipments across areas of high humidity.
When moisture permeates through the ZERUST® VCI plastic packaging products (flexible and rigid), the moisture is affected by the vapor corrosion inhibitors that are present in the VCI product. As a result, the ZERUST® VCI products inhibit corrosion despite a low level of moisture passing through the plastic. Corrosion problems arise when moisture can enter a package unimpeded by the packaging products, such as through an incorrect closure or a significant hole in the package. For example, when there is a significant breach in the package, the corrosion inhibiting molecules can escape, breaking up the protective corrosion inhibiting molecular layer that had formed on the surface of the metal. Therefore, an unimpeded airflow into the package must be avoided.
If you have any questions regarding the best VCI protection for your needs, we advise consulting a ZERUST®/EXCOR® representative. ZERUST®/EXCOR® possesses wide-ranging testing capabilities, which quickly enable us to determine the optimum method of protecting a given metal item. We also can send samples for customers to conduct their own tests. First, try packing identical parts simultaneously and under identical conditions, one part in a normal film or your current packaging and one in ZERUST®/EXCOR® film. Next, store these parts for several days in the most challenging conditions they will be in, such as high humidity, or move them from warm to cool places in your warehouse, similar to shipping conditions. If the part packed in normal packaging shows signs of corrosion, while the one packed in ZERUST®/EXCOR® VCI film shows none, it can be assumed that the part requires VCI protection.
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