Marine Technical Training Academy

 Factors That Affect the Corrosion It is clear that the corrosion process of metallic elements on the boat depends on whether the metal/alloy is in direct contact with the seawater or if the metal is not in direct contact with the saltwater. In the first case (Direct Contact) the following factors can affect the corrosion process: Acidic and Alkalinity level of the water Stray Currents  Cathodic protection of the metal Permanent contact between different metals and Saltwater (Galvanism) Bonding system quality In the second case (Indirect Contact) the following factors can affect the corrosion process: The humidity level of the environment Stray Currents  Pollutants level on the air Bonding system quality Coating protection quality Inappropriate selection of materials What Type of Current causes corrosion? Both types of current (AC and DC) can accelerate the corrosion process. The more common causes of AC/DC stray-current corrosion are: Extension cords dropped into the bil...

 Semiconductors A semiconductor is a material with properties of metal and nonmetal. In other words, it is a material that depending on external conditions (i.e. pressure or temperature) works as a good conductor of electricity or like an isolator. Elements like carbon, silicon, and germanium are good examples of semiconductors. Any of various solid crystalline substances, such as germanium or silicon, have electrical conductivity greater than insulators but less than good conductors and are used especially as a base material for computer chips and other electronic devices.  Carbon, silicon, and germanium (germanium, like silicon, is also a semiconductor) have a unique property in their electron structure -- each has four electrons in its outer orbital. This allows them to form ice crystals. The four electrons form perfect covalent bonds with four neighboring atoms, creating a lattice. In carbon, we know the crystalline form as diamond. In silicon, the crystalline form is a si...