Research on the Application of Salt Mist Test Chamber in Salt Spray Corrosion Testing

Abstract:

Salt mist corrosion is a major cause of failure for metallic materials and coatings in coastal and industrial environments. The salt mist test chamber can artificially replicate a saline atomized environment to conduct accelerated corrosion tests, providing an important experimental method for evaluating material protection performance. Taking the LISUN YWX/Q‑010 salt mist test chamber as the research object, this paper describes the electrochemical principle of salt spray corrosion testing, key technical parameters of the equipment, mainstream test modes and industrial applications. It offers references for corrosion resistance verification in electronics, hardware, coating and other industries.

Introduction:

Marine atmosphere and industrial areas contain abundant sodium chloride salt mist. Chloride ions can destroy the passive protective layer on metals, trigger electrochemical corrosion and lead to rusting of components, coating failure and poor circuit contact, which directly reduce product service life and safety. Natural salt mist corrosion progresses slowly, and outdoor exposure tests may take months or even years. The salt mist test chamber simulates a salt fog environment in the laboratory to greatly shorten the test cycle and rapidly assess the corrosion resistance of plating, coatings and metal substrates. It serves as core environmental test equipment for reliability verification. The LISUN YWX/Q‑010 salt mist test chamber supports NSS, AASS and CASS standard salt spray corrosion tests and is widely used for quality inspection in multiple industries. 

1 Fundamental Principle of Salt Spray Corrosion Testing

Salt mist corrosion is essentially electrochemical corrosion. When atomized sodium chloride deposits on the sample surface, a conductive salt water film forms. Chloride ions feature small radius and strong penetration capacity, which can break down the passive oxide film on metal surfaces and form tiny galvanic cells locally. The metal substrate acts as an anode and undergoes oxidative dissolution, while oxygen is reduced at the cathode. Rust products are continuously generated, resulting in pitting corrosion, coating blistering and peeling.

The salt mist test chamber uses compressed air to atomize sodium chloride solution. Constant temperature, salt mist deposition rate and pH value are maintained inside the sealed test chamber to amplify corrosion stress artificially. The corrosion effect equivalent to months or years of natural exposure can be reproduced within tens to hundreds of hours. After testing, samples are inspected for rust, blistering and discoloration to judge the corrosion resistance grade of materials or protection processes.

YWX/Q-010_Salt Spray Test Machine

2 Main Technical Parameters of LISUN YWX/Q‑010 Salt Mist Test Chamber

The chamber body of LISUN YWX/Q‑010 salt mist test chamber is integrally formed with imported PP anti-corrosion plates without welding seams to prevent salt water leakage. It is equipped with high-precision temperature control and spray systems, multi-channel audible and visual alarms for water shortage, over-temperature and low air pressure, and supports continuous and programmable intermittent spray. It can perform neutral, acetic acid and copper-accelerated salt spray tests. Key parameters are shown in Table 1.

Table 1 Key Technical Parameters of LISUN YWX/Q‑010 Salt Mist Test Chamber

This salt mist test chamber complies with mainstream domestic and international salt mist test standards including GB/T 2423.17‑2021, GB/T10125‑2021, ASTM B117‑2022 and ISO9227, and meets inspection specifications of various industries.

3 Comparison of Three Types of Salt Spray Corrosion Test Modes

The salt mist test chamber supports three standard salt spray corrosion tests with obvious differences in corrosion intensity and applicable objects, as shown in Table 2.

Table 2 Comparison of NSS, AASS and CASS Salt Spray Test Modes

4 Industrial Applications of Salt Mist Test Chamber

The salt mist test chamber is widely applied in electronic and electrical, hardware processing, coating surface treatment, home appliance, new energy outdoor equipment and other fields. In the electronics industry, it tests connectors, chip pins and power housings to avoid short-circuit faults caused by salt mist in coastal environments. For hardware, screws, springs and hinges are tested to verify the protection performance of galvanizing, chrome plating and passivation processes. In the coating industry, paint and powder coatings are checked for blistering and rust resistance. In new energy sectors, it assesses outdoor corrosion resistance of photovoltaic frames, fan components and communication equipment enclosures.

In practical operation, an air compressor can be matched to supply air for atomization. Optional YWX/Q‑ETD salt mist waste gas treatment unit neutralizes salt and acid mist exhaust to realize compliant indoor emission and protect operators and surrounding instruments.

5 Conclusion

Salt spray corrosion testing is an indispensable method to evaluate the corrosion resistance of materials and products in marine and industrial atmospheres. The salt mist test chamber conducts accelerated corrosion verification through environmental simulation. The LISUN YWX/Q‑010 salt mist test chamber features high precision in temperature and salt mist deposition control, supports NSS/AASS/CASS multiple test types and adapts to batch inspection of various samples. It provides objective test data for material selection, surface process improvement and product reliability validation. In actual testing, test modes shall be selected according to product service conditions, and corresponding national standards shall be followed to ensure reliable and valid salt spray corrosion test results.