Process of Cathodic Protection

Cathodic protection essentially means the reduction or elimination of corrosion on a metal surface by forcing the metal to become a cathode. The two general types of cathodic protection systems are impressed current and sacrificial. Both types of systems can effectively transfer the corrosion reaction (oxidation) from the metal surface to an external anode. If all exposed parts of a structure become cathodic with respect to the electrolyte, corrosion of the structure is eliminated.