The use of Phosphate Coatings in the Fight Against Corrosion

The first commercial use of phosphate coatings was to protect iron and steel against their old enemy—rust. It was discovered by Ross as early as 1869 (B.P. 3119, October 27th 1869) that treatment of iron and steel with phosphoric acid would delay the onset of corrosion. The first truly commercial application was by Coslett in 1906 (B.P. 8667 of 1906) who developed the iron and later zinc Coslett processes.