Patent EA-004487-B1 (EA)
Title: Method and system of preventing corrosion of conductive structures
Inventor: SPIVACK ARTHUR J
IPC: C23F11/00
Filed: 2000-12-07
Abstract: 1. A method for preventing corrosion of a conductive structure in contact with a corrosive environment, said method comprising: (a) coating the conductive structure with a semiconductive coating and providing an electronic filter connected to the coated conductive structure; (b) monitoring corrosive noise generated by the coated conductive structure and adjusting filter properties of said electronic filter to minimize the corrosive noise. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic filter comprises a power source and a capacitor. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said monitoring and adjusting step (b) is performed continually using an active filter and monitoring means. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic filter comprises a plurality of capacitors and said step (b) further comprises determining a placement of each of said plurality of capacitors on said conductive structure. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said conductive structure is a metal conductive structure. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said metal conductive structure comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of ferrous metals and conductive non-ferrous metals. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein said metal is steel. 8. The method of claim 6, wherein said metal is aluminum. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said conductive structure is selected from the group consisting of bridge members, railroad coupling mechanisms, refineries, containers, metal towers, and conductive concrete structures. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein said semiconductive coating contains both p-type and n-type semiconductor domains. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein said semiconductive coating contains a metal-semiconductor junction. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein said semiconductive coating contains an ionic conductor-semiconductor junction. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein said semiconductive coating contains a metal-semiconductor-ionic conductor junction. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein said semiconductive coating contains a semiconductor-insulator-semiconductor junction. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein said semiconductive coating is a metal/metal oxide/silicate coating. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein said metal/metal oxide/silicate coating is a zinc/zinc oxide/silicate coating. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein said zinc/zinc oxide/silicate coating comprises zinc in an amount of from 80-92% by weight based on dry coating. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein said zinc/zinc oxide/silicate coating comprises zinc in an amount of from 85-89% by weight based on dry coating. 19. The method of claim 15, wherein said metal/metal oxide/silicate coating comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Zn, Ti,Al, Ga, Ce, Mg, Ba and Cs, and the corresponding metal oxide. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein said metal/metal oxide/silicate coating comprises a mixture of one or more metals selected from the group consisting of Zn, Ti,Al, Ga, Ce, Mg, Ba and Cs and one or more metal oxides obtained therefrom. 21. The method of claim 19, wherein said semiconductive coating further comprises one or more dopants. 22. A system for preventing corrosion of a conductive structure, comprising: (a) a semiconductive coating; (b) a fixed electronic filter; (c) a corrosive noise monitoring system; and (d) an adjustable filter. 23. The system of claim 22, wherein said corrosive noise monitoring system further comprises a high impedance reference electrode and an oscilloscope. 24. The system of claim 22, wherein said adjustable filter is selected from the group consisting of manually adjustable filters and active filters. 25. The method of claim 22, wherein said semiconductive coating contains both p-type and n-type semiconductor domains. 26. The method of claim 22, wherein said semiconductive coating contains a metalsemiconductor junction. 27. The method of claim 22, wherein said semiconductive coating contains an ionic conductor-semiconductor junction. 28. The method of claim 22, wherein said semiconductive coating contains a metal semiconductor-ionic conductor junction. 29. The method of claim 22, wherein said semiconductive coating contains a semiconductor-insulator-semiconductor junction. 30. The system of claim 22, wherein said semiconductive coating is a metal/metal oxide/silicate coating. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein said metal/metal oxide/silicate coating is a zinc/zinc oxide/silicate coating. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein said zinc/zinc oxide/silicate coating comprises zinc in an amount of from 80-92% by weight based on dry coating. 33. The method of claim 32, wherein said zinc/zinc oxide/silicate coating comprises zinc in an amount of from 85-89% by weight based on dry coating. 34. The method of claim 30, wherein said metal/metal oxide/silicate coating comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Zn, Ti,Al, Ga, Ce, Mg, Ba and Cs and the corresponding metal oxide. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein said metal/metal oxide/silicate coating comprises a mixture of one or more metals selected from the group consisting of Zn, Ti, Al, Ga, Ce, Mg, Ba and Cs and one or more metal oxides obtained therefrom. 36. The method of claim 34, wherein said semiconductive coating further comprises one or more dopants.