Raising the Standard of Corrosion Protection for Routine Packaging of Metals
Cor-Pak® 1-MUL/8-MUL Pouches offer active corrosion protection, even in the presence of residual moisture.
Posted: October 8, 2022
When packaging metal components for shipment or storage, it is important to consider the length of time and environment to which the package will be exposed. The potential for fluctuating temperatures, humidity, and moisture condensation prompts manufacturers to routinely add desiccant pouches to absorb moisture and ideally fend off corrosion. However, this standard shipping and storage procedure is limited in its protection powers. Manufacturers and asset owners can easily raise the standard of protection by supplementing or replacing desiccant with a Cor-Pak® 1-MUL/8-MUL Pouch from Cortec® Corporation.
Passive vs. Active Corrosion Protection
Desiccant serves the important purpose of absorbing moisture to protect moisture-sensitive goods. However, when used in this way to inhibit corrosion on metals, protection is limited. Desiccant offers passive protection by only eliminating the source of the problem to the extent that it can absorb moisture. Unfortunately, if there is not enough desiccant to absorb all moisture in the environment, the attempt at corrosion protection may fail.
In contrast, Cor-Pak® 1-MUL/8-MUL Pouches offer active corrosion protection, even in the presence of residual moisture. Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitor powder inside the pouches vaporize and escape through the pouch’s breathable membrane, traveling to and adsorbing on all metal surfaces in the enclosure. This VpCI® molecular layer actively protects the metal by hindering the normal corrosion reaction between metal, oxygen, and an electrolyte (e.g., water) from taking place. When the package is opened and the metal components removed, the VpCI® layer does not require cleaning because it simply evaporates.
How to Use Cor-Pak® 1-MUL/8-MUL Pouches
Cor-Pak® 1-MUL/8-MUL Pouches can be used alone or in conjunction with desiccant or other VpCI® packaging materials. Application is very similar to desiccant pouches; Cor-Pak® 1-MUL Pouches are easy to insert into the package manually or automatically. As its name implies, one Cor-Pak® 1-MUL Pouch provides enough protection for up to 1.0 cubic foot (28 L) of enclosed space. One Cor-Pak® 8-MUL Pouch provides enough protection for up to 8 cubic feet (0.23 m³). The pouches can be added as the sole source of corrosion protection inside standard corrugated boxes, plastic bags, or wood or metal containers. They can also be used as an extra source of VpCI® to complement other VpCI® packaging materials. For example, while VpCI®-126 Bags or Film do emit Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors, adding a Cor-Pak® 1-MUL or 8-MUL Pouch ensures a plentiful dose of VpCI® is present within the container when extra protection may be needed based on the size of the enclosure, the length of the storage period, or the harshness of the environment.
Where to Use Cor-Pak® 1-MUL/8-MUL Pouch
The Cor-Pak® 1-MUL/8-MUL Pouch can be used for almost any metal part that is packaged in a relatively small enclosure. Possible uses include protection of:
- Completed assemblies, parts, and components
- Parts in antistatic packages
- Motors
- Mechanical controls
- Precision machined or stamped parts
- Marine and commercial electronic equipment
- Tools
Real life examples range from storing power plant spare fuses with a Cor-Pak® 1-MUL Pouch inside a VpCI®-126 EM UV Bag, to long-term storage of rear differential units (automotive service parts that might not be needed for 15 years) with a Cor-Pak® 1-MUL/8-MUL Pouch wrapped inside CorrLam® LD VpCI® Barrier Laminate.
Whatever the need, Cor-Pak® 1-MUL/8-MUL Pouches are a convenient way to add corrosion protection inside packaging or storage enclosures for an added safeguard in the presence—or absence—of moisture.
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