The objective of this research is to study the long-term performance of thermal-sprayed Aluminum, Zinc
and Zn/Al coatings in tropical marine environments. To that effect, carbon steel coupons (10 cm x 15
cm x 3 mm) were sprayed using two different processes (electric arc and flame spray), with and without
the application of two additional layers of sealer. Three sealers were evaluated: two wash primers of
different industries, and a phenol sealer. The sheets were exposed for two years in two atmospheric
stations, La Voz (coastal marine atmosphere), and the Towers of the Lake Maracaibo Crossing (marine
atmosphere), supplemented by laboratory-accelerated tests: Climatic Chamber and intermittent salt
spray (ISO 11474). The sheets were characterized by means of initial weight, thickness, metallography,
adhesion, roughness, with monthly evaluations by visual and photographic inspection for two years. The
results showed that in these aggressive atmospheres, where the wind effect is high (> 11.3 km/h), the
performance of the thermal sprayed Zn/Al coating is excellent, even without sealer, providing galvanic
protection to the substrate. In the case of Zn and Al coatings, a phenol-based pore sealer should be used
to provide a complete cover for the irregularities of this type of coating.