Surface treatments and coatings for metals. A general overview. 1. Surfacetreatments, surface preparation, and the nature of coatings

Given the diversity and complexity of technologies involved in the surface treatments and coatings sector, it is very difficult to find references in the existing literature that interlink most of them. The work that is prese nted here is aimed at filling that gap. In view of its length, it has been necessary to divide it into two parts. This first part deals with surface t reatments and refers to the preparation of surfaces and the nature of coati ngs as two of the factors that affect anticorrosive protection by coatings. In the second part, the latter will be completed by consideration of coati ng application processes and environmental conditions during application an d drying. Finally, a brief review will be made of new tendencies in the sec tor.