The growing need to replace chromated primers used in steel corrosion protection has driven the development of safer and more sustainable alternatives. BIO FLAV PRIMER, a bio-based wash primer developed from valorized agro-industrial byproducts offers an alternative to conventional primers formulated with zinc tetroxychromate, eliminating the use of chromated compounds and combining high corrosion protection with a nontoxic, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly formulation.
The protection mechanism is based on the interaction of natural compounds with the metal surface, where they form a molecular network of chelates capable of stabilizing existing corrosion products and generating a continuous, adherent, and non-porous organic film. This passivating interfacial layer stabilizes the substrate and provides an excellent base for the adhesion of subsequent coatings.
Developed by BIOFLAV Ingenieria de Superficies, comparative studies of the primer conducted on SAE 1010 steel demonstrated superior performance compared to the benchmark commercial wash primer formulated with zinc tetroxychromate, achieving 92% corrosion protection efficiency under the evaluated conditions. While the chromated primer relies on active pigments that are progressively consumed during service, the organic film developed by BIO FLAV PRIMER maintained highly stable electrochemical behavior throughout the evaluation period.
As part of the current technological validation stage, prior to pre-pilot and pilot scale-up, the development is extending its evaluation to other carbon steels of industrial interest. For this purpose, an oil drilling rod made of SAE 4140 carbon steel, discarded after a failure mechanism in service and exhibiting significant surface deterioration, is being used. The use of a recovered industrial component previously subjected to severe operating conditions allows for the evaluation of the coating’s performance in a representative service scenario, providing evidence for the subsequent stages of technological scale-up and its future industrial and infrastructure implementation.
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BIOFLAV Ingenieria de Superficies
Image – Discarded SAE 4140 carbon steel oil drill rod following a failure in service, after several months of environmental exposure. The upper section, protected with BIO FLAV PRIMER, demonstrates the coating’s versatility: in previously corroded areas, it stabilizes corrosion products through chelation, while the untreated lower section, used as a reference, exhibits generalized oxidation.
