A brief lesson in CP

I deal with corrosion all day, so I have to be reminded that not everyone out there is well-versed in cathodic protection.

Thus this mini history lesson on the subject. While not the oldest profession in the world, CP (as we call it in the industry) dates back to the early 19th century. Sir Humphry Davy a British chemist and physicist, first developed it in 1824.

Davy attached chunks of iron to the outer hull of a copper-clad ship, knowing that the added protection would prevent the hull from rusting. And thus, cathodic protection was born.

While CP has advanced since Sir Davy’s time, the basic concept is the same. CP controls the corrosion of a metal surface by making that surface the cathode of an electrochemical cell.

It protects metal structures, such as reinforced steel rebar, from corroding, and prevents any complications that would arise. Today, it's used to prevent concrete buildings from falling and pipelines from leaking. A very noble practice I'd say.