Understanding, testing, and preventing corrosion – expert knowledge from Fraunhofer IFAM

Corrosion is one of the greatest challenges for industry, infrastructure, and the environment. According to DIN EN ISO 8044:2025, corrosion is defined as the “chemical or electrochemical interaction between a material, usually a metal, and its environment.” This interaction can lead to material damage, functional failure, and enormous economic costs. In industrialized nations, 3-4% of gross domestic product is lost annually due to corrosion damage. The fact is that most of this corrosion damage could be avoided if existing knowledge were applied properly. Fraunhofer IFAM offers comprehensive solutions for corrosion protection, testing methods, and damage analysis – scientifically sound and accredited.

Our corrosion-related services at a glance:

• Damage analysis and cause determination
• Accredited corrosion testing according to DIN EN ISO 17025 and Nadcap
• Field investigations under real offshore conditions, including on Heligoland
• Development and qualification of corrosion protection systems
• Training and knowledge transfer in the field of corrosion

 

Analysis of corrosion causes – state-of-the-art methods in use

Fraunhofer IFAM has a comprehensive portfolio of state-of-the-art investigation methods at its disposal for analyzing the causes of corrosion. This allows even complex corrosion processes to be examined in detail – from the first signs on the surface to electrochemical processes inside the material.

Electrochemical methods provide important information about the behavior of materials in specific environments. These include:

• Potential measurements
• Measurement of galvanic currents
• Polarization curves
• Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)
• Electrochemical noise analysis (ENA)
• Scanning Kelvin probe (SKP)

Electron microscopy techniques reveal even the smallest defects and corrosion processes:

• Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
• Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
• Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX)
• Focused ion beam (FIB)

Surface analysis methods complement the portfolio by precisely identifying chemical compositions and changes on material surfaces:

• X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)
• Auger electron spectroscopy
• Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS)

By combining these methods, corrosion-relevant processes can be fully characterized – from chemical reactions to micro- and macroscopic structures.

 

Standardized and accredited corrosion testing

Corrosion tests provide essential information about the durability of materials and the protective effectiveness ofprotective layer and coatings and other protection systems. They are indispensable for damage analysis, the development and qualification of new protection systems, proof of feasibility under changed environmental conditions, and ongoing quality control in industrial processes.

Fraunhofer IFAM has a broad portfolio of standardized test methods that are used in a wide range of industries – from aviation and the automotive industry to maritime applications and offshore wind energy to rail transport, construction, and medical technology.

Fraunhofer IFAM is accredited according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 and Nadcap (National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program). This means that the results meet the highest international standards and are recognized worldwide.

In addition, in cooperation with the paint testing laboratory, the institute offers all necessary tests for coating materials in accordance with the VGB/BAW standard “Corrosion protection of offshore structures for wind energy use – Part 2: Requirements for corrosion protection systems.”

Fraunhofer IFAM regularly performs the following corrosion tests:

• Corrosion tests in artificial atmospheres – Salt spray tests DIN EN ISO 9227 (accredited for NSS according to Nadcap/DIN EN ISO 17025)
• Paints and varnishes – Determination of resistance to cyclic corrosion conditions Part 1: Wet (salt fog)/dry/humid DIN EN ISO 11997-1
• Aerospace series - Test methods for paints and varnishes - Filiform corrosion resistance test on aluminium alloys; DIN EN 3665 (accredited according to DIN EN ISO 17025)
• Paints and varnishes – Determination of resistance to filiform corrosion Part 2: Aluminium substrates DIN EN ISO 4623-2 (accredited according to DIN EN ISO 17025)
• Paints and varnishes – Determination of resistance to filiform corrosion Part 1: Steel substrates DIN EN ISO 4623-1
• Paints and varnishes – Corrosion protection of steel structures by protective paint systems Part 6: Laboratory performance test methods DIN EN ISO 12944-6
• Paints and varnishes – Corrosion protection of steel structures by protective paint systems Part 9: Protective paint systems and laboratory performance test methods for offshore and related structures (method according to Annex B, cyclic aging test is accredited according to DIN EN ISO 17025)
• Paints and varnishes - Corrosion test by alternate immersion in a buffered sodium Chloride Solution t DIN EN 3212
• Standard Test Method for Sandwich Corrosion Test ASTM F 1110
• Standard Practice for Total Immersion Corrosion Test for Aircraft Maintenance Chemicals ASTM F 483
• Paints and varnishes –Determination of resistance to humidity Part 1: Condensation (single­sided exposure) DIN EN ISO 6270-1
• Standard Practice for Testing Water Resistance of Coatings Using Single-Sided Controlled CondensationASTM D 4585
• Paints and varnishes – Determination of resistance to humidity Part 2: Condensation (in­cabinet exposure with heated water reservoir) DIN EN ISO 6270-2
• Paints and varnishes Determination of resistance to cathodic disbonding of coatings exposed to sea waterDIN EN ISO 15711
• Paints and varnishes – Determination of resistance to liquids Part 2: Water immersion methodDIN EN ISO 2812-2
• Paints and varnishes –Determination of resistance to liquids Part 1: Immersion in liquids other than waterDIN EN ISO 2812

 

Field corrosion tests under real conditions on Heligoland

For particularly practical results, Fraunhofer IFAM offers field corrosion tests in a maritime environment in addition to laboratory tests. The harsh corrosion conditions on Heligoland provide unique data for corrosion testing. The field tests offered include:

• Exposure tests under atmospheric conditions
• Seawater exposure in continuous immersion, alternating immersion, and splash water zones

Corresponding tests are expected, for example, in accordance with the VGB/BAW standard “Corrosion protection of offshore structures for wind energy use – Part 2: Requirements for corrosion protection systems.”

 

Customized corrosion testing

In addition to standardized methods, the experts at Fraunhofer IFAM also develop customized tests on request that simulate realistic environmental conditions. This is particularly suitable for the preselection of new protection systems or for applications where standard tests are not meaningful enough or are initially too costly.

 

Development and qualification of corrosion protection systems

Fraunhofer IFAM researches and develops a wide variety of protective systems and provides support in the selection, design, and qualification of appropriate measures:

• Corrosion protection through protective coatings:
  • Organic coatings
  • Conversion coatings (especially anodizing and PEO/MAO)
  • Electroplated coatings
  • Other inorganic coatings
• Selection of suitable materials
• Corrosion-resistant design
• Temporary corrosion protection
• Cathodic corrosion protection
• Inhibitors

 

Close collaboration with our customers

In close cooperation with clients, Fraunhofer IFAM experts develop customized solutions. They take into account not only technical conditions and standards but also the specific requirements of the intended application.

Our specialists recommend targeted investigation and testing methods that are optimally suited to the project's requirements. The results obtained are discussed and evaluated with the client in a timely manner so that they can be directly transferred to the practical context and immediately utilized. This provides a fast and reliable basis for decision-making in design, manufacturing, quality assurance, and approval processes.

This form of partnership-based cooperation between users and corrosion experts has proven particularly successful for many years.

 

Knowledge transfer: Online seminar “Introduction to Corrosion”

About once a year, the institute offers a two-day online seminar (in german) that provides a practical introduction to the fundamentals of corrosion. Objectives of the seminar:

• Basic understanding of corrosion processes
• Recognition of typical damage cases
• Competent evaluation of protection systems in collaboration with experts

No seminar currently available? Please let us know if you are interested – we will inform you as soon as new dates are available.