This paper summarizes the results from laboratory investigations of water-soluble salts’
effect on protective coatings’ performance. The test program has included assessment of
both sodium chlorides’ and iron sulphates’ influence on cathodic disbonding, ageing
resistance under cyclic climatic conditions, and blistering when immersed in distilled water.
Two commercially available epoxy systems and an epoxy clear lacquer were included in the
tests.
Salt contaminations had little or no effect on scribe creep during the cyclic test. For all other
test parameters, there were significant reductions in the coatings’ performance as the salt
concentrations increased.
Key words: adhesion, blistering, cathodic disbonding, scribe creep, underfilm corrosion