Comparison between acidic and alkaline coatings of welding rods

Welding rod coatings play a crucial role in the success of welding operations, and understanding the differences between acidic and alkaline coatings is essential for choosing the right welding rod for specific applications.

Acidic welding rod coatings, containing acidic oxides, are ideal for welding general low-carbon steel and low-strength low-alloy structural steel.They offer good welding process performance with small arc and spatter, easy slag removal, and a beautiful weld appearance.

However, they have poor mechanical properties, especially impact toughness, due to the strong oxidizing properties of their silicate, iron oxide, and titanium oxide components.

On the other hand, alkaline welding rod coatings, rich in alkaline oxides, provide strong desulfurization and dephosphorization capabilities, as well as low hydrogen content in welded joints.

Known as low-hydrogen welding rods, they are suitable for DC welding and offer superior crack resistance and impact performance compared to acidic coatings.
Despite their differences, both types of coatings serve specific purposes and play essential roles in various welding applications.