The Role of Corrosion Inhibitors and Applications for Concrete Repair The need to extend building longevity is universal, and society has created vast skylines and massive concrete structures that are seemingly impermeable and able to withstand whatever forces Mother Nature can dish out. But there’s a reality to the biggest concrete assets; concrete—even when it seems perfect—is subject to risk through the introduction of ions and contaminants that move through the micropores in the material and lead to corrosion of reinforcing steel rebar. The right strategy for extending concrete longevity must begin with preventing the degradation of the metals contained within it that add to its tensile strength. That is where corrosion inhibitors become vital to building management, and as reported by Kathy Riggs Larsen of Materials Performance, “To control and remediate rebar corrosion in new and existing concrete structures, multiple methods are available. These range from changing the concrete’s cement chemistry to using corrosion inhibiting techniques such as pozzolanic cement, surface sealers, corrosion inhibitor admixtures, cathodic protection, and surface-applied corrosion inhibitors.” But to understand how the different approaches to corrosion inhibitors work, it’s first important to understand how corrosion occurs and its real impact on the future and integrity of your concrete structures. How Does Concrete Corrosion Occur? Concrete corrosion refers to the degradation of reinforcing steel within a structure. As the importance of corrosion inhibition has increased, more companies have prioritized this area during the design phase of building assets. However, corrosion is inevitable. It is accelerated by…