Definition - What does Caustic Dip mean?
Caustic dip is the most common and most cost-effective technique of stripping coatings, paints and other corrosive elements from both non-ferrous and ferrous components.
Although recognized as a common method, stripping should be done cautiously as chemical residues that are trapped in the joints, frames and other structures could lead to corrosion. This technique is widely applied in various industries, most particularly in automobile manufacturing.
Caustic dip is also known as caustic dipping.
Corrosionpedia explains Caustic Dip
Caustic dip is a type of galvanization – or the procedure of coating aluminum, steel or iron with zinc layers. When a galvanized object is exposed to the environment, the zinc component acts with oxygen to produce zinc oxide, which forms a reaction with carbon dioxide to generate zinc carbonate.
Zinc carbonate is a comparatively strong, dull gray type of material that impedes corrosion in many ways, giving protection to the steel underneath the elements. The caustic dip process is widely applied in cases where resistance to corrosion is required without having to opt for expensive materials, such as stainless steel.
However, caustic dip should be applied cautiously, as the zinc fumes can be highly toxic. Similar to other kinds of corrosion protection, caustic dip protects substrates by acting as the barricade between the atmosphere and the material. Yet, the zinc used in caustic dipping is highly electromagnetic in nature compared to materials like steel. This means that damaged steel may still benefit from continued protection.