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Laboratory for Electrochemistry, Corrosion and Protection of Materials


The Laboratory for Electrochemistry, Corrosion and Protection of Materials (UEC) is integrated in the Metallic Materials Unit of the Materials Department of LNEC.

Additional information can be found at this laboratory's flyer.

Field of expertise

UEC develops activity related with electrochemistry, corrosion and protection of materials, including:

  • assessment of corrosion resistance and performance of metallic materials and anticorrosive protection systems;
  • corrosion diagnosis;
  • application of inspection, prevention and mitigation corrosion techniques;
  • development and utilization of corrosion monitoring systems;
  • evaluation of environmental corrosivity;
  • topographic, morphological and localized electrochemical characterization of surfaces and thin films.

Testing

UEC conducts different tests for characterization of the electrochemical behaviour of surfaces and for corrosion diagnosis, mitigation and prevention, such as:

  • corrosion rate tests;
  • stress corrosion cracking tests;
  • resistivity tests;
  • corrosion potential tests;
  • chloride migration tests;
  • tests to evaluate the effects of additions on reinforcement corrosion;
  • resistance to cathodic delamination tests;
  • potentiostatic/potentiodynamic electrochemical tests;
  • electrochemical tests for assessing surface behaviour;
  • accelerated corrosion tests in artificial atmospheres;
  • corrosion diagnosis tests;
  • nondestructive test methods for assessing corrosion;
  • tests for the nanoscale characterization of surfaces.

Other services

UEC supports studies requested by different public or private bodies, construction stakeholders, infrastructure owners and producers of construction products, in particular:

  • development and qualification of new products;
  • expertise on pathologies of materials;
  • characterization of materials and products.