Did You Know?
. . . that nickel is used in corrosion-resistant concrete reinforcement? It's a Natural Nickel Fact
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Nickel Magazine, November, 2005 -- It might sound a bit unbelievable, but it took civil
engineers many years to realize that the carbon steel reinforcing bars (rebar) in some concrete structures
should be made of stainless steel.
That's because concrete structures such as highway bridges and piers are sometimes exposed to
chlorides.
Chlorides are what cause carbon steel to corrode.
To prevent the formation of ice during the winter, salt, which is made up of sodium and chloride, is spread
on highways and especially bridges.
In the case of ocean piers, chlorides are found naturally in seawater.
So, when chlorides make their way into a concrete structure, they cause ordinary carbon steel to corrode,
even if the steel has been coated. When this happens, the corrosion product causes the surrounding concrete
to fracture.
However, when concrete reinforcing bar is made of corrosion-resistant, nickel-containing stainless steel, it
does not corrode. So the concrete doesn't crack.
That's why concrete structures that are reinforced with stainless steel last much longer than those that use
carbon steel rebar.
One of the best examples is a pier in Mexico.
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Following, is a list of links to web pages, managed by the Nickel Institute, that provide in-depth
information on the role of nickel in concrete reinforcing bar:
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