The aluminium producer RUSAL has successfully developed a new type of sacrificial anode alloy, specifically designed for electrochemical protection of underwater structures of marine vessels and port infrastructure. With its outstanding performance enhancement, the AP5M aluminium alloy effectively meets the demands of the industrial sector for more efficient anti-corrosion protection.
The Institute of Light Materials and Technologies under Rusal has developed this innovative AP5M alloy for electrochemical protection, and has officially obtained a patent authorization from the Russian Federal Intellectual Property Agency.
In environments with strong corrosive substances such as seawater, the sacrificial anode alloy, due to its unique chemical composition, can form an "anode-cathode" electrode pair with the protected object (such as the underwater hull of a ship or the infrastructure of a dock). This process generates a continuous weak current, enabling the protected object to acquire negative charges, thereby preventing it from undergoing chemical reactions with the environment and achieving the purpose of corrosion prevention. The sacrificial alloy technology is also widely applied in the anti-corrosion protection field of oil and gas pipelines.
Rusal stated: "The anode protectors made from the new alloy have a higher actual current output, exceeding 2,580 ampere-hours per kilogram (A·h/kg), and the protection efficiency has significantly improved. Moreover, this alloy possesses excellent anti-passivation properties, and its surface does not form an anode protection film that weakens the current. Despite the addition of precious alloy elements such as zirconium, titanium, gallium, and indium, the cost of AP5M remains competitive with existing alternative products, which is a key consideration for customers. The higher current output also means that the service life can be effectively extended while maintaining the same anode quality, or a significant reduction in metal consumption can be achieved while achieving the same protection effect."
The Volgograd Aluminum Plant, a subsidiary of Rusal, is responsible for the production of this sacrificial anode product. Since it began producing this product in 2020, the plant has developed into one of the major suppliers in this field in the Russian market.
Alexander Belotelov, the general manager of the Volgograd Aluminum Smelting Plant, pointed out: "This research was initiated due to the increasing technical demands of the major port complexes and water engineering facility operators in Russia. Previously, the alloys such as AP4N and AP4NM developed by Russia between 2005 and 2010 could no longer meet the higher standards of modern customers for the technical characteristics of anode protectors."
