Abstract
Paints can inhibit corrosion by modifying the anodic reaction; for this to occur the pigment must be either metallic, or soluble, or basic. Paint films are so permeable to water and oxygen that they cannot inhibit the cathodic reaction. In general they function by virtue of their high electrolytic resistance; they readily acquire a charge; consequently they are relatively impermeable to ions. Soap formation is beneficial, since it renders the film less permeable to electrolytes, it also yields soluble degradation products, which suppress the anodic reaction.

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