1. Corrosion is the degradation of materials like steel through chemical or electrochemical reaction with surrounding media like water and oxygen, forming rust (iron hydroxide).
2. Several types of corrosion are described, including uniform corrosion, galvanic corrosion, crevice corrosion, pitting corrosion, erosion corrosion, stress corrosion cracking, fatigue corrosion, and microbiologically influenced corrosion.
3. Methods to mitigate corrosion include protective coatings like paint and cathodic protection systems that use sacrificial anodes or impressed current to redirect corrosion to the anode from the protected structure. Surface preparation, coating selection, application, and achieving the proper dry film thickness are important.