The most commonly used metallic coating for the corrosion protection of steel wire, sheet and structural products is Zinc. Zinc coating offers a good combination of galvanic and barrier protection. However, to discover even better and more suited products for end users and the environment, researchers attempted to develop superior steel coatings. The outcome was one which demonstrated superior corrosive resistance and advanced coating technology. Most of the time, these attempts meet with little success, usually due to excessive manufacturing costs or other undesirable product attributes…..but every so often a revolutionary coating is discovered.
A hot-dip coating that was successfully developed is Zinc-5% aluminium (Zn-5%Al) alloy, combined with a rare earth mishmetal. The registered name for this coating is GALFAN®. Wire that is coated in such a manner provides superior corrosion resistance over the traditional zinc coated wire.
Global Synthetics’ gabion products are available in either GALFAN® or zinc galvanised coating (and both with optional PVC coating for ultimate protection and longevity). Here are some details about the comparison of GALFAN® gabions and galvanised gabion which can assist you in your our selection process.
GALFAN® gabions are made of GALFAN® coated wire.
Features:
Excellent adhesion
Superior resistance to corrosion and abrasion.
“Self-healing” oxide coating
Strong ductility
Environmentally friendly
Zinc coated gabion, as the name suggests is a common type of gabion made of zinc coated steel wire.
Features:
Good toughness and elasticity
Remove: rust resistance
Economical
Compared with zinc coated gabions, GALFAN® gabions offer the following advantages in hard conditions:
Better corrosion resistance
Improved weldability
Superior elasticity and ductility
Reduced cracking
In summary GALFAN® coated gabions have been assessed to have a design life of 2-3 times that of zinc galvanised gabions of comparable coating mass and similar exposure conditions.
It is important to remember that any zinc aluminium (Zn-Al) alloy coated product will not necessarily perform in the same manner as the proven and unique GALFAN® .
Let us help you choose a suitable gabion according to your application and budget, contact us at: info@globalsynthetics.com.au