Ferrous: Iron, steel and cast iron metals are protected using the Trademark yellow Zerust^® / Excor^® Ferrous Packaging.

Non-Ferrous: Aluminum (and aluminum alloys containing copper and/or manganese), copper, brass, bronze and fully galvanized steel are protected using blue or clear Zerust^® / Excor^® Non-Ferrous Packaging.  

Multimetal: Products that contain combinations of the Ferrous and Non-Ferrous metals listed above can be protected using green or clear Zerust^® / Excor^® Multimetal Packaging.

Silver: Is protected from tarnishing with clear Zerust^® / Excor^® Silver Packaging.

For Flat Bag, Sheet, Sleeve, and Round Bottom Bags

	Width is measured from edge to edge. If it is a slit seal bag, measure inside seal to inside seal or inside seal to fold.
	Bag length is measured from top of bag to top of bottom seal or fold.
	Sleeve or sheet length is measured from cut edge to cut edge .

NTIC’s standard lead times vary depending on the product and quantity. For specific product inquiries, please contact our Customer Service Team at 1-763-225-6600.

Corrosion is the chemical or electrochemical reaction between a material, usually a metal, and its environment that produces a deterioration of the material and its properties. Usually corrosion is the oxidation of metals in the presence of water or water vapor, and is known as rust (iron, steel), white rust (galvanized steel), and other terms of corrosion failures such as tarnish, pitting, flaking and spalling.

There are many different types of corrosion including atmospheric corrosion, corrosion in waters, corrosion in soils, corrosion in chemical environments, mechanically assisted corrosion, high-temperature corrosion, microbiologically influenced corrosion, etc. From an economic, safety and aesthetic standpoint, atmospheric corrosion is one of the most important types of corrosion. Atmospheric corrosion is enabled by atmospheric humidity and stimulated by pollutants in the atmosphere such as acid gases [sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), and carbon dioxide (CO 2 )], nitrogen oxides (NO and NO 2 ), ozone (O 3 ), and salts (chlorides and sulfides).

There are many different ways to prevent corrosion, including modifying the atmosphere by dehumidification, nitrogen purge, evacuation, etc., and creating a barrier on the metal surface to prevent the permeation of moisture. This barrier can be formed by a liquid coating, such as oil, or via packaging products that contain VCI or Vapor Corrosion Inhibitors. Vapor Corrosion Inhibitors work by diffusing corrosion inhibiting molecules from a source (packaging film or paper for example) to metal surfaces. These molecules settle on metal surfaces and form a protective corrosion inhibiting layer that inhibits the electro-chemical reactions that cause corrosion to form.

NTIC combines the use of vapor corrosion inhibitors with material sciences and process management expertise to implement custom corrosion solutions for a customer or throughout an entire supply chain. We call this our Zerust^® / Excor^® Integrated Corrosion Technologies or “ICT™”.

The vapor corrosion inhibitor portion of Zerust^® / Excor^® ICT™ products is made of proprietary chemical formulations that are invisible, odorless, non-toxic, non-reactive, non-flammable and non-allergenic. These chemical formulations release a corrosion inhibiting vapor that diffuses throughout an enclosure that either contains ICT™ formulations or is made from ICT™ materials, and settles on exposed metal surfaces to form a microscopic corrosion inhibiting layer.

This protective layer will remain on the surface of the metal as long as there is no significant, continuous exchange of air within the enclosure. Ideally, there should be less than one air exchange per day (for example, when an electrical cabinet or package is opened briefly and occasionally). Once the metal part is removed from the enclosure, the corrosion inhibiting layer is no longer kept in place by equilibrium with the ICT™ source, and it dissipates from metal surfaces (typically within about an hour) leaving the metal part clean, dry and corrosion-free .

The vapor diffusing properties of our corrosion inhibiting formulations offer an important advantage over conventional inhibitor coatings since the traces of these gas molecules penetrate into inaccessible crevices, gaps, and slots, reaching the surfaces of complex-shaped articles that are difficult to coat. They are adsorbed onto the surface of the metal to form a corrosion inhibiting protective layer that is just a few molecules thick. Zerust^® / Excor^® ICT™ products may also include acid gas absorbing chemicals in the packaging material to act as a barrier and add another dimension to the protection of the metal content. These “scavenging” chemicals react and neutralize the polluted air that may diffuse through the Zerust^® / Excor^® ICT™ material. Also used are various combinations of physical barrier properties that optimize the corrosion prevention and physical protection needs of our customers . These may range from plain low density polyethylene (LDPE) material to combinations of higher strength, higher tear resistance, higher resistance to sunlight or UV, static charge dissipation, and lower diffusion for moisture or acid gas molecules.

Zerust^® / Excor^® ICT™ products offer corrosion protection without having to be in direct contact with or coated onto the parts that are being protected. Metal parts merely need to be enclosed in or with a Zerust^® / Excor^® ICT™ product (where airflow is minimized) for protection to occur. With Zerust^® / Excor^® , it is no longer necessary to apply messy oils, greases and other corrosion protection compounds and incur the cost of their removal. 

Depending on the design of the corrosion prevention solution, some Zerust^® / Excor^® ICT™ packaging products may be produced from low and high density polyethylene resins and to a large extent, are resistant to vapor penetration. Some atmospheric moisture will eventually find its way into a closed package. The presence of moisture in a package can be expected during shipments across areas of high humidity.

When moisture permeates through the Zerust^® / Excor^® ICT™ plastic packaging products (flexible and rigid) the moisture is affected by the vapor corrosion inhibitors that are present in the ICT™ product. The Zerust^® / Excor^® ICT™ product still inhibits corrosion despite a low level of moisture passing through the plastic. Corrosion problems arise when moisture is allowed to enter a package unimpeded by the Zerust^® / Excor^® ICT™ packaging products, e.g. through an incorrect closure or a significant hole in the package. When there is a significant hole in the package, for example, the corrosion inhibiting molecules are allowed to escape, breaking up the protective corrosion inhibiting molecular layer that had formed on the surface of the metal. An unimpeded airflow into the package must be avoided.

Tests performed with electron scanning (ESCA) microscopy show that 2-4 hours after a steel test panel is removed from a Zerust^® / Excor^® ICT™ package, all traces of the corrosion inhibiting molecular layer are gone from the surface of the part.

The period of time before one can expect corrosion to occur on a part depends on the cleanliness of the part and the environment around the part (relative humidity, presence of pollutants or wood, temperature, etc.).

The time required for active corrosion inhibiting molecules from the ICT™ product to saturate a package is a function of the volume and temperature of the package. Protection begins as soon as corrosion inhibiting molecules reach the metal surfaces, and maximum protection is achieved when the entire environment of the package is saturated with the corrosion inhibiting molecules.

Saturation in typical factory environments and in typical CKD packaging applications runs from 12 to 24 hours.