Managing Selective Leaching

Reducing the aggressive nature of the atmosphere by removing oxygen and avoiding stagnant solutions/debris buildup can prevent dezincification. Cathodic protection can also be used for prevention. However, the best alternative, economically, may be to use a more resistant material such as red brass, which only contains 15% Zn. Adding tin to brass also provides an improvement in the resistance to dezincification. Additionally, inhibiting elements, such as arsenic, antimony and phosphorous can be added in small amounts to the metal to provide further improvement. Avoiding the use of a copper metal containing a significant amount of zinc altogether may be necessary in systems exposed to severe dezincification environments.