Corrosion Protection Method And Corrosion Protection Structure

Abstract

A semiconductor layer ( 12 ) is caused to receive electromagnetic waves ( 1 ) to emit electrons; the emitted electrons are collected and supplied to an object to be protected against corrosion; and the electrons ( 3 ) are returned from the object to be protected against corrosion ( 16 ), to which the electrons ( 2 ) are supplied, to the semiconductor layer ( 12 ) via an electrolytic layer ( 14 ), to thereby cause an electric current to flow to the object to be protected against corrosion ( 16 ) to make a potential of the object to be protected against corrosion ( 16 ) low. In a corrosion protection structure ( 10 ), an electron supplier ( 13 ) is electrically connected to a object to be protected against corrosion ( 16 ), to thereby provide corrosion protection, the electron supplier ( 13 ) being made of a semiconductor layer ( 12 ) formed on a supporting member ( 11 ) that is capable of transmitting electromagnetic waves and has electrical conductivity. In addition, the electron supplier ( 13 ) is electrically connected to an object to be protected against corrosion ( 16 ) via an electrolytic layer ( 14 ) that is at least in contact with the semiconductor layer ( 12 ). According to the present invention, even if an object to be protected against corrosion is coated with a coating layer such as a rebar in concrete, it is possible to provide a corrosion protection method and a corrosion protection structure that can obtain a sufficient corrosion protection effect.

1 . A corrosion protection method which flows an electric current to an object to be protected against corrosion to make a potential of the object to be protected against corrosion low, comprising:
 emitting electrons by causing a semiconductor layer, a surface layer of which is protected so as not to be substantially brought into contact with water, to receive electromagnetic waves;   collecting the emitted electrons and supplying them to the object to be protected against corrosion; and   returning the electrons from the object to be protected against corrosion, to which the electrons are supplied, to the semiconductor layer via an electrolytic layer.   
     
     
         2 . The corrosion protection method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the semiconductor layer is supported by a plastic film that is capable of transmitting electromagnetic waves and has imperviousness, and the semiconductor layer is installed on the object to be protected against corrosion so that the film is a surface for receiving the electromagnetic waves, to thereby protect the semiconductor layer by the film.   
     
     
         3 . The corrosion protection method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in a place that is not exposed to direct sunlight, the semiconductor layer is caused to receive electromagnetic waves with a wavelength of at least 360 nm to 500 nm, to thereby emit electrons.   
     
     
         4 . The corrosion protection method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 an electrolytic layer having glutinousness or adhesiveness that is formed as a layer is stuck on a layer including cement into which the object to be protected against corrosion is buried.   
     
     
         5 . The corrosion protection method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 an electrolytic layer having glutinousness or adhesiveness that is formed as a layer is stuck on a coating layer of a coating agent for covering the object to be protected against corrosion.   
     
     
         6 . A corrosion protection structure in which an electron supplier is electrically connected to an object to be protected against corrosion, to thereby provide corrosion protection, comprising:
 the electron supplier made of a semiconductor layer formed on a supporting member that is capable of transmitting electromagnetic waves and has imperviousness and electrical conductivity;   wherein the electron supplier is electrically connected to an object to be protected against corrosion at least via an electrolytic layer that is in contact with the semiconductor layer.   
     
     
         7 . The corrosion protection structure according to  claim 6 , wherein
 an electrically conductive layer is interposed between the electrolytic layer and the object to be protected against corrosion.   
     
     
         8 . The corrosion protection structure according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the electrically conductive layer is a layer including cement, and the object to be protected against corrosion is made of metal including iron.   
     
     
         9 . The corrosion protection structure according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the electrolytic layer is an agglutinant layer or an adhesive layer.   
     
     
         10 . The corrosion protection structure according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the supporting member is capable of transmitting electromagnetic waves with a wavelength of at least 360 nm to 500 nm.   
     
     
         11 . The corrosion protection structure according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the supporting member is an impervious plastic film that has an electrically conductive thin film on a side of the semiconductor layer.   
     
     
         12 . The corrosion protection structure according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the semiconductor layer is a layer that includes one or more types of compounds selected from oxides of metals including compounds with a perovskite structure and from metal chalcogenides.   
     
     
         13 . The corrosion protection structure according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the semiconductor layer includes a brookite-type compound.   
     
     
         14 . The corrosion protection structure according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the semiconductor layer is a layer including one or more types of metal oxides selected from a titanium oxide, a zinc oxide, and a tin oxide.