For comparative purposes, two extensively used cadmium- and chromate-based schemes complying to aerospace and military specifications comprised of cadmium plating, hexavalent chromium-based passivation followed by two different chromate-based primers were studied on 15CDV6 steel substrate.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopic studies and salt fog exposure tests were carried out to evaluate the anticorrosive properties of the coating schemes. Cadmium- and chromate-free scheme exhibited excellent performance in the long-term corrosion evaluation studies. The results obtained in accelerated tests show the possibility of replacement of cadmium- and chromate-based schemes for corrosion protection of steels with an eco-friendly option.