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Historical: Vasanth published a limited literature review on the use of vapor corrosion inhibitors (VCl) in naval vessels at NACE’s 1996 Corrosion Conference [1]. He cited an NRL review of VCI during World War II conducted by Baker and Zisman. It found that equipment losses were appalling in the early war years, primarily due to poor packaging for overseas shipping. It stated that paper, cardboard, cloth, and other packaging materials can be impregnated with nitrite-based corrosion inhibitors and used for either shipment or storage of equipment. It should be noted that the US Department of Defense (DoD) includes VCls in a military standard for packaging materials [2].

In 2017, at the request of the United States Army Reserve G-4, a MEP-803A generator and a HMMWV-1097R1 were each protected by a Transhield XT advanced protective cover with vapor corrosion inhibitors (VCI) at an Army Reserve base in Orlando, FL. Paired coupons were employed inside and outside the cover to assess the level of protection provided to the asset. Some stand-alone coupons were also employed.

The latest Avengers blockbuster movie and the hugely popular Fortnite video game series both use powerful software to create spectacular graphics and CGI so lifelike your eyes think it’s real. But deploying similar technology to create protective coverings might be even more unexpected. On today’s podcast, our very own Bob Coulter, director of data acquisitions & technology, sat down with MarketScale Transportation to reveal how his company utilizes CGI software to create perfect-fitting protective covers.

Equipment losses were appalling in the early years of World War II.[1] This was primarily due to poor packaging for overseas shipping, which led to widespread corrosion. Fortunately, those trying to address the problem found that paper, cardboard, cloth, and other packaging materials could be impregnated with nitrite-based corrosion inhibitors and used for either shipment or storage of equipment. As such, VCIs have been extensively used by the U.S. Department of Defense since World War II, and the DoD includes VCIs in a military standard for packaging materials.

One of the biggest challenges in storage and transportation is protecting your equipment from damage by the elements. Whether you’re hauling a load of new vehicles or keeping your generator dry and running, you need an effective cover to protect your property. One of the most popular solutions is shrink wrap. While shrink wrap certainly has its place in the market and is useful for one-time applications, some manufacturers need a different option.

One of the main ingredients in Transhield’s anti-corrosion protective covers are vapor corrosion inhibitors, or as we like to call them, VCIs. Transhield’s patented VCI technology is a key component for reducing corrosion by up to 85 - 95% as compared to a standard tarp made out of vinyl or canvas. But what exactly are VCIs and how do they work? The short answer is that it’s a combination of physics and chemistry.