History of galvanized sheet
galvanized
Galvanized sheet is one of the most important and widely used materials in various industries, which has a very long and fascinating history from ancient discoveries to modern industrial developments. This article examines this history and the essential role of galvanized sheet in various industries from the past to the present.
The history of galvanized sheet dates back to ancient times, when people used metals for various constructions. But with the passage of time, a greater understanding of the protective properties of metals against biological and environmental factors was obtained. One of the methods used to protect metals from rust and corrosion was galvanizing.
Traces of the protective role of zinc metal for various metals can be seen in some jewelry from 2500 years ago, so that 80% of these jewelry consisted of zinc. There was also a metal based on Jewish brass, which consisted of about 20% zinc.
The main introduction of galvanization dates back to 1742, when for the first time a French scientist named Melvin presented a method to coat iron by dipping it into molten zinc; Of course, the main goal of Melvin was to create a cover for kitchen utensils, which finally reached its goal.
After Melvin, Italian scientist Luigi Galvani created the process of galvanizing by coating iron with zinc metal for the purpose of muscle movement, and in order to appreciate it, the name of galvanization was given to this process. Later, scientists like Michael Faraday and Humphrey Davy studied this issue
Alessandro Volta also tried these experiments with other dissimilar metals and finally, he found that the electric current created was caused by the contact of the dissimilar metals themselves. In 1800, Volta made a stack of alternating zinc and silver plates and individually placed cloth dipped in salt solution between the plates to prove his claim. Today, this device is known as a voltaic candle, which was considered the world’s first battery.
Then in 1824, Sir Heffery Davy speaks about hot-dip galvanized coating: he showed; When two dissimilar metals are electrically connected and immersed in water, one of the metals is quickly corroded and the other has a degree of protection. By doing this experiment, he was able to create a protective layer by connecting iron or zinc to the copper ends of wooden ships.
In 1829, Henry Palmer of the London Dock Company received a patent for corrugated metal sheets, his discovery had a huge impact on the industrial design of galvanized steel.
Sorel was a French scientist who received the first patent in 1836 for the process of coating steel by immersing it in molten material after initial cleaning. He called this process galvanization.
The term galvanized did not refer to the coating process but rather to the property that this coating provided. In addition to Sorrell’s patent in 1836, a patent in England for a process similar to Sorrell’s experiment was granted to William Crawford in 1837.
It is not possible to comment definitively about the first uses of galvanized sheets; But it is believed to have been used for the first time in 1844 by the Welsh Navy. By 1850, Britain alone had produced 10,000 tons of galvanized sheet. During the Second World War, various types of galvanized sheets were used in the construction of bunkers and huts.
During the following years, in the era of modernism, several companies in Europe and America improved the production process of galvanized steel sheet. Today, these products are used in various industries such as automotive, military, shipbuilding, aerospace, agriculture, home appliances and construction.