This is the Metal to Prevent Corrosion on Car Bumpers

Talking about car maintenance is not an easy task, one of which is taking care of the car bumper. This component can rust or corrode over time because most bumpers are made from iron material. Therefore, to prevent corrosion, special maintenance is needed, such as coating it with a special metal. The metal that can prevent corrosion on car bumpers is chromium. Instead of being curious about the benefits of this metal, let’s take a closer look at the complete review below.

Metals That Can Prevent Corrosion on Car Bumpers

As is known, car bumpers are made from steel iron material aimed at making the component sturdy. In addition, the use of steel iron material on bumpers has been considered by car manufacturers for the safety of pedestrians or other road users in the event of a collision.

However, this material has a weakness, which is that it is prone to corrosion when frequently exposed to rain, submerged in floods, extensively used, and poorly maintained. During corrosion, metals like steel iron will undergo oxidation that causes rust. Meanwhile, air (oxygen) undergoes reduction.

To prevent corrosion on car bumpers, special maintenance is required by coating the bumper surface with metals like chromium. This metal is usually written with the symbol Cr in chemistry.

Chromium itself has many advantages, namely adding aesthetic value to the base material it coats because it makes it shiny. Thus, materials coated with chromium will look like new again. In addition, chromium can make metals more resistant to corrosion, which is why it is often used in the chrome-nickel process.

Chrome-Nickel Process on Car Bumpers

As previously explained, to keep car bumpers free from corrosion, a chrome-nickel process (the process of coating car bumpers with chromium) is necessary. The process goes through several stages as follows.

1. Preparation and Cleaning Stage

Before the chromium coating process on the car bumper begins, the car bumper needs to be cleaned thoroughly. The way to do this is to dip the bumper into a cleaning solution to remove dust, dirt, or oil that sticks. Then polish the bumper and rinse it until clean.

2. Activation Stage

After cleaning, the next stage is the activation stage. In this stage, you need to soak the metal bumper in an acid solution. The purpose of this soaking is solely to allow the chromium to easily penetrate the surface of the car bumper.

3. Chromium Coating Stage

Next, you need to dip the car bumper into a tank or electroplating container filled with chromium metal solution. Then, turn on the electric current in the electroplating to bind chromium ions to the surface of the metal bumper. In this process, a protective layer will form on the bumper, making it look shiny and sturdy.

4. Drying and Polishing Stage

After the chromium coating is complete, you just need to take the car bumper out to dry. Usually, during the drying process, the car bumper is also polished to enhance the shine and provide a strong anti-rust effect. Thus, the car bumper will look like new again and add aesthetic value to the car.

Thus, these are some stages in the chromium coating process to prevent car bumper corrosion that you need to know. If you are interested in performing the chrome-nickel process on your car bumper, it is advisable to visit a professional workshop such as Daihatsu official workshop to ensure the chromium coating is even and perfect.