Recent studies have demonstrated that rigid polyurethane foams can be useful as a corrosion control method for the interior surfaces of structural voids frequently found in military vehicles and equipment which have been insufficiently designed for protection in marine or salt water
exposures. These materials, especially injectable types, have the advantage of convenient application in areas that are difficult or impossible to access for the application of paints or other protective coatings. Properties of the foams such as curing morphology, adhesion to corroded surfaces, water pick-up, and water retention dettmnine their effectiveness for corrosion control inside the structural voids. This paper presents the results of laboratory tests performed to evaluate these properties for two polyurethane foams, an injectable single part formulation and a pourable two part formulation applied to steel tubular specimens. The test results are discussed in terms of the differences between the two types of foam and their effectiveness for corrosion control inside structural voids.
Keywords: Retrofit corrosion control, steel corrosion, foams and corrosion control, corrosion control of military equipment polymer foams, injectable foams.