Don’t Mask the Issue: What You Need to Know about VCI and Protecting against Corrosion

Corrosion. Shiver. As one of the biggest threats to your metal components and products, it can cause billions of dollars of damage yearly. Wrapping them in VCI might seem like a tried and tested method, but the risk of corrosion is high if they’re not adequately protected. So stick around while we unpack some of the negative sides of using VCI technology, and we’ll give you some alternatives that will help reduce your costs and address your impact on the environment.

It’s not a wrap unless you wrap it up right!

VCI technology (volatile corrosion inhibitor) is frequently used to protect against corrosion. It can come in all shapes and sizes and even other forms – like emitters, foam, paper or plastic boards. Once added to the packaging material, the VCI molecules travel inside the packaging, attach to the metal surface and create a temporary protecting coat.

Don’t hit the purchase button yet, though! VCI can be ineffective if not applied correctly, it’s plastic-intensive, and it may not be enough protection on its own, depending on the shipping conditions.

Sustainability isn’t an add-on; it’s a prerequisite

You know by now that your partners and customers are taking sustainability seriously across their whole supply chain, so it is crucial to ensure you play an integral part in the needed transition. Compared to other moisture-preventing solutions, VCI is generally plastic intensive putting you at a disadvantage regarding more sustainable methods of preventing corrosion.

Get to the root cause of corrosion

Moisture in the air can be measured as the relative humidity (RH) and is a root cause of corrosion. So the higher the RH, the higher the risk of corrosion. Getting to and staying below 60% RH (where corrosion generally will not take place) is critical. And that’s where desiccants come in…

Desiccants

Desiccants combat corrosion by effectively reducing moisture levels in the surrounding air. They’re less plastic intensive than VCI, which means they have a lower climate impact. If you’re working with a company driven by sustainable practices (yes, that’s a plug!), they’re also focusing on producing desiccants with optimized use of plastic and other packaging material.

Well, that’s all for now. If you’re not already suspicious of VCI – you should be!

If you want a more in-depth and evidence-based reading, take a look at our whitepaper on corrosion or a study we made that explores AbsorGel® vs VCI.